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We were interested to note the victory of Apapane in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), the most important contest for two-year-old females in Japan. The race has been won in recent years by such stars as Buena Vista and Vodka, and Apapane was scoring for the third straight time in four starts.Apapane (TrueNicks rated A++) is by Kingmambo ...

Derrick asks: I ran my Shadeed mare, Sweet Shadeed, through Truenicks and came up with an A++ rating with a 23.32 Variant. Yet I ran the same match through another nicking service and came up with an F rating. Why such a huge disparity? Alan's response: Thank you for your question. We are always happy to compare the TrueNicks ...

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 ...

Last week we were writing about American Lion, a promising juvenile graded stakes winner by Tiznow (TrueNicks,SRO) . We noted at that time, that Tiznow had just three graded stakes winning two-year-olds, all out of Storm Cat line mares. Well, that pattern was broken at the weekend after Tizahit took the Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) on Saturday. ...

Tragically, Horse of the Year Saint Liam died after serving only a year at stud. The offspring of this late-developer where not expected to be precocious, but with his first crop two-year-olds of 2009 he has at least one horse who might extend his legacy. This is Buddy’s Saint, who has stamped himself as a leading contender for the Kentucky ...

  Scott asks: When I run a TrueNicks with Candy Ride and one of my mares, Surf N Sand, it appears to be a complete outcross in the first five generations, but the nick is an A++. He's an excellent phenotype for the mare, so I'm very curious about the nick. Thank you in advance and keep up the good work. I thoroughly enjoy having ...

Douglas asks: I remember reading that TrueNicks had a ''lowest recommended score/grade'' which I think was a B or is it a B+? Alan's response: Thank you for the question. In general terms we find that horses rated B+ or better are those that have a particularly strong percentage of stakes winners relative to their appearance ...

We’re very used to two-year-old descendents of Sadler’s Wells showing their classic credentials in major races towards the end of the European racing season. For example, Sadler’s Wells’ son, Montjeu, has recently been represented by St. Nicholas Abbey, Jan Vermeer and Joshua Tree, winners respectively of the Racing Post Tropy (gr. I), Criterium ...

Repent (TrueNicks,SRO) , who was just announced as moving from Vinery, Kentucky to Empire Stud in New York had a pair of stakes winners last weekend. His two-year-old filly, Beijin (TrueNicks A++) won the Donna Freyer S. at Philadelphia Park. She is out of a Forest Wildcat mare, but the pedigree is also interesting for having four crosses of Bold ...

Kim asks: I did a TrueNick with Bertrando and Benson's Girl (by Buddha) and it said no rating. What does that mean? Alan's response: Thank you for the inquiry. For TrueNicks to compute a rating there must be either two stakes winners bred on the cross, or 15 starters.If there are insufficient stakes winners or starters on the ...