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Not sure which is worse—those who believe horse racing’s sun rises when Saratoga opens and sets when it closes, or those who claim the meet and its product are deteriorating. … No one likes to see declines in handle and attendance, but we need to put things in perspective. This is a meet and a city that rely heavily on out-of-towners, and we all ...

The Thoroughbred industry's breeding calendar, including production of the Stallion Register, is based on a handful of key annual events. As I have worked this summer preparing for the 2011 Stallion Register, it's occurred to me several times that many of these events are related to the timing of the Breeders' Cup weekend. First is the ...

Alan Porter gives a 30-minute video introduction to the TrueNicks system. brightcove.createExperiences();

Above: TrueNicks ratings of the Sadler's Wells sire line with Seeking the Gold line mares. I’m sure Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr never expected his famous epigram plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, which loosely translated amounts to “the more things change, the more they stay the same” to be applied to the development of Thoroughbred ...

Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner and Champion Two-Year-Old Midshipman (TrueNicks,SRO) is now available on TrueNicks. The son of Unbridled's Song will stand the 2011 breeding season at Darley's Jonabell Farm near Lexington, Ky. A debut maiden winner at Del Mar, Midshipman captured the 7-furlong Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) in his second start. ...

OK, here’s something to ponder. With a number of question marks regarding this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) hopefuls, why shouldn’t the connections of Gio Ponti give the Classic serious consideration? After all, many think Quality Road is not at his best going 1 ¼ miles; Lookin At Lucky is way behind in his training and won’t ...

This year's Perfect Trip Award will recognize a Breeders' Cup Challenge race winner from this season's North American races that best exemplifies a ''Perfect Trip''. The winner will be selected from a panel of racing experts and will have the opportunity to experience his or her own ''Perfect Trip'' through Sentient Jet, with ...

(Originally published in the September 11, 2010 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)  By Eric Mitchell Keeneland has successfully developed the September sale into the largest international marketplace for Thoroughbred yearlings. But whether the sale ...

TrueNicks is pleased to announce the addition of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Monarchos (TrueNicks,SRO). Breeders are now able to run unlimited TrueNicks reports courtesy of Nuckols Farm. Monarchos burst onto the 2001 Derby scene with three authoritative victories at Gulfstream Park, including an explosive move around the turn in the Florida ...

So, Quality Road is back on track and headed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I). Todd Pletcher loved his race in the Woodward (gr. I). Johnny Velazquez loved his race in the Woodward. In fact, everyone close to the horse loved his race in the Woodward. But their initial reaction to the colt’s 4 ¾-length victory was more relief than ...