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(Originally published in the April 3, 2010 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)    The Jockey Club issued a release last week that contained one single number, but it is an important number. Breakdowns are an unfortunate—and, frankly, ...

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 ...

  As the bloodstock adviser to wine mogul Jess Jackson, Kentucky bloodstock agent John Moynihan played a major role in the purchase of the sale-topping, $2.3 million Distorted Humor colt (now named Brock) at the Fasig-Tipton Florida select juvenile auction earlier this year. But, Moynihan said, he has gotten just as many questions and heard ...

A huge weekend is coming up that will decide just where the Southern California horses are. I’m letting horses like Caracortado, Alphie’s Bet, and Sidney’s Candy sort themselves out against Lookin At Lucky Saturday to see just which ones are leading Derby contenders. Another California horse who still can make a name for himself on dirt is Dave in ...

Brazil is the country that gave us football legend Pele and is no stranger to domination in that sport. They are, however, less often at the top of the racing world, but Saturday at Medyan, Brazilian breeding prevailed in the shape of Gloria de Campeao. The much-traveled seven-year-old – runner-up last year to Well Armed – led virtually throughout ...

By Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA  This entry is Part II of my focus on a recent query from one of my readers asking me to explain to those ''on the horse side'' of the business, ''What is the role of NTRA - what can NTRA realistically accomplish week to week?''  I usually try to avoid using this space solely to promote ...

There were several nice moves in the big Kentucky Derby prep races this past weekend. The Lane's End was pretty decisive, but the Louisiana Derby had a pack at the end of the final turn. Were there any moves that stood out in your mind? Also, did any of you watch the races on the USA network, if so how was the brief coverage?  Lane's End ...

By Frank Vespe, That's Amore Stable blog It's the sort of news that typically generates exactly no coverage in the mainstream media and not much in racing media: a three year-old of modest accomplishment, on the extreme fringes of the Kentucky Derby conversation, runs in a Florida Derby dramatically weakened by the defection of the two best ...

In 2007 Todd Pletcher saddled five Kentucky Derby starters. Though none of them would wind up hitting the board, Pletcher was the main focus of attention in the week leading up to the classic with his horses occupying one quarter of the field. Three years later, it is starting to look like five starters will be the absolute minimum Pletcher ...