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With the ink barely dry on the announcement of their sire's retirement from active stud duty, the race to assume the mantle of rightful heir to the great Sadler's Wells in European breeding and racing is well and truly underway. With the classic winner Cima de Triomphe (IRE) (A++ TrueNicks rated) and the classic contenders New Approach (IRE)(A++), ...

While it may not have been rocket science to pick out the winner, you could have had yourself the Trifecta in the Preakness Stakes if you had merely boxed the five horses that were A++ rated by TrueNicks (link to Alan's post). With Macho Again and Icabad Crane filling the place and show, a $2 box for the five horses would have cost you $120 for ...

Twelve contenders will go to the post for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I). Let's see how they're rated by TrueNicks. A++ BIG BROWN (Boundary - Mein, by Nureyev) - Went into the history books by winning the Derby on only his fourth start, but is also there as one of the most closely inbred Derby winners of all time: with Northern Dancer 3 x ...

Just last week we commented on the ''deadly duo'' of Kingmambo and Sadler's Wells mares and the success that this nick has had, despite the fact that these two stallions stood in separate countries. On the weekend there was another example of a potential ''mega-nick,'' this one certain to be tried an awful lot more given that it is one for the ...

Looking through some recent results, we noticed that another nicking program had rated Elite Squadron - who took the May 3 Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II) - as an A++ nick. A cross check with TrueNicks revealed that Elite Squadron is rated D. Naturally, we wondered what could have caused such a discrepancy. A little research revealed that Elite ...

 It is what we owners and breeders fear the most. A call from a farm employee, trainer, or vet with that oddly familiar, awkward tone foretelling the bad news we have lost one of our horses. Or, perhaps even worse, in the moment of excitement and anticipation of competition, one of our horses goes down on the track or falls ...

In two recent blogs we discussed inbreeding to the mare Special, and specifically her influence through Kingmambo (dam by Special's son, Nureyev). We also discussed Galileo (IRE), whose sire Sadler's Wells is both three-parts-brother to Nureyev, and a grandson of Special. Oddly enough then, the Stanjamesuk.com Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I), saw ...

A horse who peaked at 5 and 6 - when he won back-to-back renewals of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), Milwaukee Brew (TrueNicks, SRO) was never going to sire early runners. However, with his first crop now 3, the brew is beginning to ferment for this Adena Springs South stallion. Progress started quietly with One Quick Brew (rated A) taking ...