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The following is a continuation from last week's article Close Race for Second-Crop Sires. There seems to be something of a blight on Saint Ballado’s branch of the Halo line. Saint Ballado himself died at the age of 13, and his best son, Horse of the Year Saint Liam (the sixth leading second season sire), was euthanized after a paddock accident ...

The votes are in and the 2010 Eclipse Award finalists have been named.  The 2010 Eclipse Awards ceremony is now set for January 17 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami Beach, Fla.  The list of finalists contains few surprises but sets up some real contests to see who comes out on top.   First and foremost is the race for ...

The stallions at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, New York, have joined TrueNicks for 2011. Unlimited, complimentary nicking reports are now available to breeders. Catienus, Coal Play, and Utopia join the New York-based Adena Springs stallions who also stand at the farm. Catienus (TrueNicks,SRO) is a son of Storm Cat and the ...

By Jennifer Wirth, of The Saturday Post On January 1st, an Arkansas-bred filly named Gretl turned three-years-old in her barn at Oaklawn Park.  She didn’t receive any birthday cakes, fancy cards and fans didn’t line up for a photo outside her stall.  January 1st was simply an ordinary day in her life. Gretl didn’t seem to mind one ...

How is it that so many successful and well-known horses can so quickly fade out of importance and somehow find themselves homeless and unwanted? This was the question asked by Anna Ford of New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program when she called last week to inform me that Hotstufanthensome, a dual graded stakes winner and earner of more than ...

by Ian Tapp When the Kentucky Derby is on your mind, how could you not be fascinated by an A.P. Indy (TrueNicks,SRO) colt with the flashy name of Astrology? Winner of the one-mile Iroquois Stakes (gr. III, video) at Churchill Downs back in October, Astrology has an intriguing story. First mention must go to Astrology's illustrious ninth dam, ...

It is now 2011 and that means we have officially embarked on the Kentucky Derby trail. Here in the East it’s been difficult to see even the slightest hint of rose blossoms buried beneath 20-30 inches of snow drifts. But, heck, they’ve already run the first Derby prep (the Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct), and Florida and California will soon follow ...

The holiday season was a very good one for several young stallions. Florida’s Wildcat Heir (TrueNicks,SRO) – who ran down the very promising Afleet Alex (TrueNicks,SRO) late to take the Leading Second Season Sire title by just over $20,000 – got the New Year off to a good start with his daughter Breathoffreshheir (TrueNicks A++) winning the ...

Uncle Mo, the likely champion 2-year-old male and our early Kentucky Derby (gr. I) favorite, has taken up residence in Todd Pletcher's barn at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach, Fla. The son of Indian Charlie has been there since Dec. 8 where he has settled in nicely and recently returned to light training after getting some farm time in Ocala. ...

 (Originally published in the January 8, 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 Twitter  Despite all the science that proves otherwise, we’re hoping the world is flat. The Thoroughbred world in ...