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Trainer Jack Van Berg is a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, as is his late father, Marion Van Berg.If there were a section of the Hall of Fame for breeders, Arthur B. Hancock III would be a member, as would his father, the late A.B. “Bull” Hancock Jr.These two men from prominent racing families have been outspoken critics ...

The recent post by Alan regarding the Ascot stakes winner Supaseus (Spinning World - Supamova, by Seattle Slew) brought back memories for this author as her dam was one of the 100 or so horses in the yard of leading trainer Paul Cole while I worked a flat season in England going back almost 15 years now (...yes we are all getting old!). Supamova, ...

Courtesy of Becky JohnstonThe Human ConnectionTrainer is following closely in giant footsteps.Vincent O’Brien and Aidan O’Brien are of no relation, but you couldn’t tell it from their results.  The younger O’Brien won four Group 1 stakes last week at Royal Ascot, saving his greatest feat for Thursday when Yeats won his third consecutive Gold ...

 What a joy to watch the Royal Ascot meeting on TV last week, especially hearing the rousing ovation for the champion stayer Yeats after his record-equaling third straight Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-I) victory at 2 1/2 miles. In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, a stayer is a creature unknown to American racing fans that actually relishes ...

Sadly, every year makes it less likely that we -- in the U.S. -- will find true outcross stallions (i.e., a completely non-U.S. 5-cross pedigree).  I'm all for clever patterns of inbreeding and building on tried-and-true bloodlines... but sooner or later, you've got to add new blood.  Candy Ride (ARG) (pedigree) has Mr. P as his ...

Kingsgate Native has always been something of a mold-breaker. He very nearly won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot last year on his racecourse debut, and two races later, the 2-year-old broke his maiden in the Nunthorpe Stakes (gr. I), beating established older sprinters. He open his 3-year-old campaign on the first day of this Royal Ascot ...

It was Galileo's model of the universe that prevailed on Day Four at Royal Ascot. Daughters of Galileo landed two of the three group races on the card, including the day's jewel, the Coronation Stakes (Eng-I). In that event -- a contest for 3-year-old fillies -- Galileo's daughter made up for the disappointment of her run in the Oaks (Eng-I), ...

  For those of you who followed my blog when I was writing for another racing Web site, you may recall a couple of my popular ''tough beat'' posts. You know, those betting nightmare stories that come around every so often - getting nosed out on a huge ticket, taken down on an objection, locked at the window, etc. You seasoned handicappers ...

A few weeks ago, I mentioned my disappointment that the U.S. lost Judge T C (pedigree) from our bloodstock choices when he was exported to Saudi Arabia. I'll give credit to Prince Sultan Mohammed Saud al Kabeer and Nofa Equestiran Resort:  they saw something in a stallion that was overlooked in the domestic breeding market, and they ...

Courtesy of Becky Johnston The next to last day of the 2008 Royal Meet at Ascot Race Course came up windy and cloudy with the ground much harder than most European runners desire.  Rain would not fall until the fifth contest of the day.  Bookmakers empty their pockets  The first race was the Group 3 Albany Stakes for two year ...