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The Factor was the talk of the racing nation after dazzling in the Rebel Stakes on Saturday, but only minutes before a 3-year-old that many of us never heard of burst onto the scene loud and clear. It was Maclean's Music, who broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita while running six furlongs in 1:07.44 under a hand ride. If you haven't ...

(Originally published in the March 26, 2011 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)       One of the most distinct memories Thoroughbred owner/breeder John Gunther has of Triple Crown hopeful Stay Thirsty as a foal is watching the ...

   (Originally published in the March 26, 2011 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)  By Eric Mitchell - @EJMitchellKy on TwitterThe Blood-Horse recently cast a wide net into the pool of Thoroughbred industry participants and posed a simple ...

BREEDERS/FARM OWNERS  & MANAGERS Craig Bandoroff: farm owner, consignor, Denali Stud1. We need centralization to organize our fragmented industry where stakeholders (racetracks, owners, and horsemen) are held accountable and are beneficiaries of synergies to improve the economics, regulation, and promotion of racing. We need one central ...

 1 Uncle Mo Todd Pletcher Indian Charlie—Playa Maya, by Arch Opinions regarding the colt range from his being a superstar to having little shot at 1 1/4 miles. What else is new? Pedigree will not be an issue. Hard to fault his debut; he did everything he was supposed to and looked great doing it. And regardless of the slow pace ...

The Factor spoke loudly and made his point perfectly, as he ran off with the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) in his two-turn debut, winning by 6 1/4 lengths and coming home his final sixteenth in :06 1/5. When a frontrunner setting testing fractions of :46 3/5 and 1:10 4/5 can come home that fast, there aren’t many horses who are going to be able to beat ...

At Aqueduct recently, it was suggested by Jim Gluckson of the NTRA/Breeders' Cup that I reprint a column I wrote several years ago on Jim French. He reminded me that this is the 40th anniversary of his remarkable and unprecedented Triple Crown campaign. With the majority of top Derby contenders having only two or three Derby preps, this is the ...

Lotta Kim produced a full sister to Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 27, 2011, at Dr. Dede McGehee's Heaven Trees Farm near Lexington, Ky. Photographed on March 12, 2011, the Medaglia d'Oro filly is owned by Dolph Morrison. A decision has not been made on whom Lotta Kim will be bred to this season.''The mare is a good mom,” said Dr. McGehee. “She’s ...

Who will win the 2011 Rebel Stakes? Who will finish last? Will The Factor take them all the way? Is it time for Elite Alex or Sway Away to shine? Now is your chance to see how your picks stack up against the rest of the BloodHorse.com community. Need more information about the Rebel? Read the race preview or watch That Handicapping Show. ...

The Rebel is the only Kentucky Derby prep of the weekend but it's a full field which results in a good betting opportunity, and it has maybe the most intriguing Derby contender out there: The Factor. If The Factor can't carry his electrifying speed around two turns Bob Baffert will drop him back to sprinting. But if he is successful, he will move ...