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While there is no doubt that nicks tend to run in sire lines, we've also often found it profitable to consider the dam of a stallion when attempting to predict potential crosses. For example, when Smart Strike ( TrueNicks ) retired to stud, we noted that he was a half brother to champion Dance Smartly, a daughter of Danzig. Since Smart Strike was a Mr. Prospector...
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Unbeaten filly Stopshoppingdebbie, a daughter of Curlin ( TrueNicks ), will try to become the first horse to sweep the Emerald Downs 3-year-old filly stakes division in tomorrow's Washington Oaks. She's bred on the emerging nick of Smart Strike ( TrueNicks ) and his sons over Wild Again mares. Photo: Erin Palmer/Emerald Downs Stopshoppingdebbie (right) wins the...
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Danzig/Secretariat The great Danzig, who would eventually sire 202 stakes winners (18.8% from foals), didn't take long to prove himself when his first runners hit the track in 1984. His daughter Contredance won the Adirondack (gr. II) and Arlington-Washington Lassie (gr. I), and son Stephan's Odyssey took the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I). But the big horse was...
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With the game triumph of Roderic O’Connor in Saturday's Irish 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) following hot-on-the-heels of the smooth victory of Golden Lilac in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-French 1,000 Guineas (gr. I) one week ago, and Frankel’s runaway English 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) win three weeks ago, the cross of Galileo and mares by Danehill has become the classic...
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The sterling efforts of Pivotal, and of Sadler’s Wells sons Galileo and Montjeu – who come to the fore as the distance increase – not withstanding, European racing often appears to be dominated by the Danzig line, particularly via Danehill and Green Desert. Those two branches were particuarly in evidence in the last week, through Dansili – who is vying with Danehill...
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While Ghostzapper ( TrueNicks , SRO ) was represented by his first grade I winner when Stately Victor upset the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), his older half-brother City Zip ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , continued his progress when his daughter Unzip Me captured the Las Cienegas Handicap (gr. III). City Zip – who’s advertised stud fee for 2010 is just $10,000 – currently...
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Although he was relatively sparingly-raced – 11 starts in four seasons – and carefully-managed, both form book and speed-figures suggest that Ghostzapper ( TrueNicks , SRO ) is worthy of a place alongside the all-time greats. Indeed, a record that includes wins in the 6½ furlong Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I); the seven furlong Tom Fool Handicap (gr. II, in 1:20.42...
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Sidney’s Candy took the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and is by young sire sensation, Candy Ride (ARG) ( TrueNicks , SRO ). He follows Evita Argentina and Capt. Candyman Can as the third grade I winner by the sire from only ten starters out of mares by Storm Cat and his sons. Can we say “emerging nick” anyone? He’s from the second crop of Candy Ride (a grandson of...
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The beautifully-bred Battle Plan has taken a while to show that he has talent to match his pedigree. The five-year-old only ran twice before this year, having been sidelined after breaking his maiden in the January of his three-year-old season. Returning from that extended break, he kicked off the year with a pair of allowance wins at Gulfstream Park, and at...
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One nick that has a 100% strike-rate is that of Yankee Victor with mares by Woodman, which has produced stakes winner Timely Reflection, and Kinsale King (TrueNicks A++) , who took the Golden Shaheen (gr. I) in Dubai. The granddam, Flaming Leaves is a stakes winner and graded placed, and is a three-part-sister to Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Roving Boy (both by...
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Last year’s Frizette Stakes (gr. I) captress, Devil May Care re-established herself near the top of the division with a 2¾ lengths win in the Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. III). She’s a Pedigree Consultants recommended mating (for Diamond A Racing Corp) and is by the A.P. Indy ( TrueNicks , SRO ) son [Malibu Moon] out of the Red Ransom mare, Kelli’s Ransom (rated A...
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Pulpit ( TrueNicks , SRO ) was one of the sensations of the early part of 1997, going undefeated through his first three starts at Gulfstream Park. In succession he took a seven furlong maiden by 7½ lengths, an allowance race by 6¼ lengths, and the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II). The triumphant progress was interrupted when, taken further off the pace than...
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Last Thursday was “Super Thursday” in Dubai, the preview to World Cup Day. Here's a look a some of the more interesting pedigrees. Presvis, who took the Jebel Hatta (gr. II), is by the Riverman, grandson, Sakhee, winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (gr. I), and Juddmonte International (gr. I). What’s more unusual, however, is that Presvis, is out of a mare...
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In the UAE Oaks Guineas, Raihana avenged her UAE 1,000 Guineas defeat by Siyaadah, who took third here. A daughter of Elusive Quality ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , Raihana is out of the Sunday Silence mare, Esubooh. The mating is rated B+ by TrueNicks on the basis of the broad Mr. Prospector/Sunday Silence cross, a nick that has also produced Japanese grade one winners...
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Rule, was expected to get his classic campaign off to a bright start in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III) and he accomplished this with aplomb. Rule certainly has a classic pedigree. He is from the first crop of Roman Ruler ( TrueNicks , SRO ) (by Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner, Fusaichi Pegasus ( TrueNicks , SRO )), who had a good weekend with his daughter Roman...
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Bim Bam is a son of Deputy Wild Cat (by Deputy Minister, out of Champion Hollywood Wildcat, and a brother to stake winner Minister’s Wildcat, and half-brother to War Chant ( TrueNicks , SRO ) ), who stands at Fairberry Farm in Illinois. Deputy Wildcat has sired just 64 foals in his first three crops, and two of these are stakes winners, Bim Bam, and Ashley River...
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Last Saturday, Quality Road erased the Gulfstream Park nine furlong track record that he himself had established in the 2009 Florida Derby (gr. I), earning a Ghostzapper ( TrueNicks , SRO ) -like 121 Beyer in the process. Quality Road’s sire, Elusive Quality ( TrueNicks , SRO ) can now claim to be responsible for three truly outstanding horses; Smarty Jones ...
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In our most recent post we commented on some interesting duplications found in last weekend's stakes winners. There a few more that are also worth highlighting: Repent ( TrueNicks , SRO ) had a good winner last weekend in Sweet Repent, winner of the Sunshine Millions Distaff Stake. TrueNicks rated A++ , Sweet Repent has an intriguing pedigree. She is out of a...
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We have to wonder if there has been a more prolific family in the last couple of years than that of the Verbatim mare, Right Word, the dam of three stakes winners: the graded scorer Ascutney and Words of War (both by Lord At War) and Word o’ Ransom (by Red Ransom). Ascutney is dam of two graded winners, headed by Raven’s Pass, winner of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup...
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Winslow Homer has been a “talking horse” ever since his three lengths maiden win at Saratoga in August and he came through loud and clear in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) on Saturday. Winslow Homer is the first foal of his dam, Summer Raven, winner of the Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at two. A daughter of Summer Squall, Summer Raven is out of Rahy Rose, a Rahy half...
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Wildcat Heir ( TrueNicks , SRO ) ended 2009 with the frankly-staggering total of 39 individual juvenile winners. Despite this, he’d reached November before a stakes winner appeared. But surely enough, time has begun to reveal quality among Wildcat Heir’s great quantity of winners. On November 13, Karmageddon took the Jersey Juvenile Stakes, and the very next...
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Actually this post is as much about Prince John as it is about Halo, but “Prince John effect” doesn’t have quite the same ring. What turned our mind to the connection between the two, and more particularly it’s current effects, was the victory of Custom For Carlos in the Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III). Custom For Carlos – who strikes us as having the potential...
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We must admit, we did a double-take when we saw the pedigree line for the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) winner, M One Rifle, as the name of his sire, One Man Army, rang absolutely no bells whatsoever. It turns out that we weren’t having a senior moment, as One Man Army has very much been flying under the radar. Although not bred by Fred Hooper, One Man Army has a pedigree...
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There was a 'lucky' ending to the last major two-year-old contests of the year with Looking At Lucky taking the Cashcall Futurity (gr. I) and Blind Luck the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I). Lookin At Lucky is a son of Smart Strike ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , who won’t repeat his Leading Sire titles of 2007 and 2009, but who has had enjoyed another excellent season...
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Out of the Silver Deputy mare, Silvery Swan, El Corredor ( TrueNicks , SRO ) (by Mr. Greeley ( TrueNicks , SRO )) was the second grade I winner inbred to Mr. Prospector when he took the 2000 edition of the Cigar Mile (gr. I). He was also the first notable runner with such inbreeding to retire to stud and he quickly dispelled fears that his pedigree pattern would...
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