There were several stakes for juveniles last weekend and two freshman sires, Kitten’s Joy (who also had the Summer S. (gr. III) runner-up Becky’s Kitten) and Roman Ruler ( TrueNicks , SRO ) put stakes winners on the board. Kitten’s Joy, who now has 11 first crop winners, was represented by Sunday Silence...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
09-23-2009
With runners like Curlin ( TrueNicks , SRO ), English Channel ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , and Labatt Woodbine Oaks winners Eye of the Sphinx and Gold Strike, Smart Strike ( TrueNicks , SRO ) is generally considered a horse whose runners do their best work when given some time, and often over middle-distance...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
08-13-2009
Sunday was a huge day for Dynaformer ( TrueNicks , SRO ) , who scored an international "classic" group/grade I double.Wiener Walzer (GER) scored Sunday in the IDEE Deutsches Derby (Ger-I) and Gozzip Girl captured the American Oaks Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) the same day. What's particularly interesting...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
07-08-2009
It might have taken a while for Sadler's Wells to hit his stride as a sire of sires, but he's been making up for lost time at a tremendous rate -- as evidenced this weekend when his line dominated group and grade I racing. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-I) resulted in a one-two for the offspring...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
06-29-2009
It was a relatively quiet weekend in international racing, but there was one classic in North America, Canada's classic Queen's Plate. The race went to favorite, Eye of the Leopard, who narrowly held of from Mr. Foricos Two U, with Canadian Oaks winner Milwaukee Appeal third. Eye of the Leopard certainly...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
06-25-2009
A quick observation: A recent Porter on Pedigrees column discussed the unusually strong success of this year's second-crop sires. In it, I mentioned Cure the Blues in Gabby's Golden Gal's pedigree. It's interesting to note that Cure the Blues is also sire of the second dam of Rachel Alexandra -- that...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
06-10-2009
Squeezed back as the field left the stalls and way off the pace early on, Mine That Bird -- under a rail-skimming ride from Calvin Borel -- ran past a rubber-legged field in the stretch to take a muddy renewal of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) by 6 3/4 lengths. The $9,500 yearling...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
05-04-2009
It is quite common in Thoroughbred breeding to see the success of one sire or sire line ride off the back of the success of a nick or in particular the presence of a stallion in a genetic population. There seems to be, at least in Europe, a strong genetic tie between the former stablemates Danehill and...
by
Byron Rogers
on
04-24-2009
The 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (gr. IIT) was once one of America’s great races, but it’s gone the way of all other American contests over a distance of ground, either shortened or downgraded. That said, it still paid out a nice $120,000 to winner Midships. He is a member of...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
04-21-2009
The weekend crowned two new grade I winners among the older division. Vinery already has one promising stallion prospect in their homebred Friesan Fire, a 3-year-old son of A.P. Indy ( TrueNicks , SRO ). Now they have another in 4-year-old Kodiak Kowboy . A son of Vinery stallion Posse ( TrueNicks ,...
by
Alan Porter 1
on
04-07-2009