BloodHorse.com

Because the Top 30 list took up a great deal of Monday’s column, we’ll go double duty this week and catch up on some updates and ramblings and look at the Risen Star Stakes. On the pedigree front, are you tired of all the inbreeding in racing, especially through Mr. Prospector and Northern Dancer? Well there are a couple of prominent ...

I think it's safe to say that with the exception of Capt. Candyman Can and Hello Broadway, most of last week's high-profile horses that ran at Gulfstream were disappointing. Checklist, Break Water Edison, Danger to Society and Well Positioned are just a few who took a major step backward. Unless another Big Brown comes along very soon, maybe ...

By Teresa Genaro of Brooklyn Backstretch This Ones for Phil's victory at Gulfstream in the Sunshine Millions Dash over the weekend has occasioned much conversation about the horse's massive improvement.   How could this horse have run this race?  What's with the trainer change?  Oh, that Dutrow again-look what he's done. On ...

A BloodHorse.com article yesterday afternoon about the Canadian Stallion Awards reveals that Bold Executive took the top spot, in large part due to his progeny's earnings on synthetic tracks.  Bold Executive, like fellow synthetics-leader A.P. Indy (SRO), is a Bold Ruler-line stallion -- and it's often theorized that this ...

The icy conditions and sub-freezing temperatures of the last week in Central Kentucky gave us good reasons to catch up on some reading. Awaiting Steve Haskin’s first Derby Dozen, I went to the bookshelf at home and pulled down The Archjockey of Canterbury and Other Tales by former Blood-Horse editor Kent Hollingsworth.Published by The Blood-Horse ...

Reader question:  Hi, Scot. I have read the history behind and understand what the DP, CD, and DI figures stand for but my question is: Why does it seem that good or higher DP numbers are sometimes in conflict with the nicks? In nicking my mare with stallions I'll get higher or better DP numbers with a ''C'' nick then with an ''A''. ...

One of the best juveniles of his crop, Whywhywhy (Mr. Greeley--Thorough Fair, by Quiet American), made a promising start to his stud career. He ended 2007 as a top-six freshman sire, and was represented by inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Nownownow. Whywhywhy (TrueNicks,SRO) rather flew under the radar in 2008, but he lit ...

The idea of racing partnerships allowed racehorse ownership by many more individuals. It was a brilliant concept in 1969 when Dogwood Stables' Cot Campbell introduced it.  More important, I believe it could be the best hope to save the sport of Thoroughbred racing over the coming generations. Next Thursday, Feb. 12, Mr. Campbell will be ...

Reader question: I recently ran a cross for my mare Enthrall (by Lyphard out of Swift Gal) with a stallion that entered New York for 2008 named Utopia (Jpn).  He is by Forty Niner. I came up with a TrueNicks pattern of an “A.”  I was pretty excited and forged this decision on paper in the form of a contract. I thought that Alan ...