HorseRacingNation.com NewsWire

Hot new sires of 2013 - Colonel John

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:30:29 GMT

Precocious doesn't come to mind when one thinks of Colonel John's offspring. Yet they've started to make their appearance on the track. Within the last couple of weeks, two of his sons have entered the winner's circle. The WinStar Farm home-bred Cash Conversion galloped to a 2 ¾ length victory over the Presque Isle Downs oval to kick off the month of June. A week later, Here's Johnny subdued his rivals by 2 ½ lengths at Churchill.

COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow - Sweet Damsel, by Turkoman)

Career:

Colonel John is a large bodied horse reminiscent of his sire Tiznow. He was a late-season two year old,yet showed obvious talent demolishing a group of maidens by over four lengths. The WinStar homebred won the Real Quiet Stakes before checking in a late-running second to Into Mischief in the Cash Call Futurity (G-1), finishing out his two year old season.

Receiving only two preps before the Kentucky Derby, Colonel John was victorious in the Sham (G-3) and Santa Anita Derby. When the big day arrived, Colonel John went off the second favorite in the Kentucky Derby. He steadied ear

Zenyatta in Foal to War Front - What Can We Expect?

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:59:14 GMT

Z news from Kentucky – It was announced that super-mare Zenyatta is in foal to Claiborne sire War Front. With a world full of prestigious sires at the beck and call and money never an issue, why stick close to home and send America's darling down the road to visit a stallion who never won a Grade 1 race – and a sprinter/miler at that?

Who's the Daddy?

A son of the international sensation Danzig, War Front had a slow start to his career and didn't get into the swing of things until August of his three year old season. Veteran trainer H. Alan Jerkens took his time with the colt letting him win three straight before sending War Front into the graded stakes fray. As a four year old, War Front seemed to lack the killer instinct, finishing second four times, beaten a neck here and there, with plenty of daylight back to the third place finisher.

In between playing bridesmaid in the Tom Fool Handicap (G-2) and Forego (G-1), the bay colt won the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G-2). In his career finale, War Front was an overlooked long-shot in the Br

Palace Malice Pedigree Profile

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:42:41 GMT

Palace Malice revenged his sire Curlin's heartbreaking Belmont Stakes loss with a decisive, gritty victory over the Preakness and Kentucky Derby heroes. The unheralded Palace Malice had a simple maiden victory entering the test of champions, although he did fight to a neck defeat in the Blue Grass Stakes and place in three other contests.

In the 145^th edition of the Belmont Stakes, Palace Malice's final time of 2:30.70 for 1 ½ miles is comparable to the last three Belmont Stakes results of Union Rags (2:30.42) Ruler on Ice (2:30.88 – sloppy) and Drosselmeyer (2:31.57).

PALACE MALICE (Curlin – Palace Rumor, by Royal Anthem) was sold for $25K at the 2011 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A year later at the Keeneland April 2012 two year olds in training auction, Palace Malice caught the eye of veteran bloodstock agent Cot Campbell and as an agent for Dogwood Stables, he shelled out $200K for the Chestnut colt.

Although he's an early May foal, Palace Malice flashed talent early. He received a ton of experience in his debut in early July, sitting on the ra

Is the Belmont Stakes a True Test of Champions?

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:12:22 GMT

While Todd Pletcher and Cot Campbell of Dogwood Stable savor their Belmont Stakes win, they've speculated about sending Palace Malice to the Jim Dandy on July 27 as a prep for the mid-summer derby, the Travers Stakes on August 24. How will Palace Malice fare in the remainder of his three year old season?

The Belmont Stakes has long been anointed as the true test of champions. This is true for the colts whose triple crown chances hang on the outcome of the Belmont Stakes, but what about the years when there is no title on the line? One thing's for sure. the Belmont Stakes hasn't been kind to the majority of the last 14 winners.

2000 - The millennium started off with a flying horse. Kentucky Derby hero Fusaichi Pegasus was upset in the Preakness by Red Bullet. With no Triple Crown on the line, Neither Fusaichi Pegasus or Red Bullet bothered to contest the Belmont Stakes. The favorite's role in the Belmont was left to the late-running Aptitude, who had placed second in the Kentucky Derby and skipped the Preakness. Aptitude made his customary late charge, but COMMENDABLE, under

Hot New Sires of 2013 - Kodiak Kowboy

Mon, 27 May 2013 20:16:49 GMT

While the nation is in the grip of Triple Crown fever, the next generation is quietly taking their positions on the track. Like the springtime flowers, races for two year olds are sprouting at racetracks across the nation. Starting in July, the two year olds will be out in full force when Saratoga and Del Mar open. It can be almost impossible to handicap a race when there's no previous form. Canny handicappers look at the pedigrees of these youngsters for precocity. But what if the juvenile is by a first crop sire? Will they want to win early or take to the surface? Over the next month, I'll showcase some of the first crop sires whose offspring should show early promise. This week, we'll start with Kodiak Kowboy.

KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse - Kokadrie, by Coronado's Quest)

Career:

Kodiak Kowboy won his second start in late May at Churchill traveling 4 ½ furlongs. He jumped directly into stakes competition, winning the Victoria Stakes over the Woodbine Polytrack. A month later, he traveled back to Kentucky to grab the Bashford Manor Stakes (G-3). The Steve Asmussen train

Female Famlies and the Preakness

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:27:59 GMT

Last month, I discussed the importance of the Kentucky Derby contenders' female families. Certain distaff lines have a proclivity for producing classic winners. Our Derby hero Orb shares the same female family, albeit, a different branch, as Fusaichi Pegasus (family 8-c). Revolutionary, the Derby third place finisher, hails from the same tree as Sea Hero, Go for Gin, Smarty Jones and Super Saver. All four trace back to the super mare, La Troienne (family 1-x).

Since the distaff families are classified by family number then branch, there are two ways to determine which line has produced the most Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes winners. One, by the overall number of horses in the entire family, and two, by the branch of a specific family.

In the last 137 years, families 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, and 12 have produced the most Preakness winners.

Family 4 has bragging rights of sending the most winners to the winner's circle in each of the triple crown races. Of the seventeen members that have won the Preakness, the most have descended from the 4-r branch,

Preakness 2013 - The New Shooters

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:46:08 GMT

In the past two years, excitement has surrounded the stamina-laden Kentucky Derby heroes. There was no question about Animal Kingdom or I'll Have Another's ability to get the 1 ½ miles of the Belmont Stakes and it seemed a matter of formality before they were crowned as the first Triple Crown Champions since 1978. But it was not to be. Animal Kingdom suffered from a poor ride in the Preakness Stakes, ending his bid for the Triple Crown. Last year, the frenzy and anticipation of crowning I'll Have Another reached a climax after the gallant colt won the Preakness. Unfortunately, the son of Flower Alley was injured before the Belmont Stakes and retired.

This year, fervor is growing as the Preakness Stakes draws closer. As the racing world knows, Orb was the clear, decisive winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby by 2 ½ lengths over Golden Soul. Many racing fans feel that the Preakness may be the toughest race of the series for Orb due to his late-running closing style. However, the son of Malibu Moon was ensconced in mid-pack in the Florida Derby before knocking them off with his po

Orb Facing a Difficult Preakness Challenge

Sun, 05 May 2013 17:07:02 GMT

With the 139^th Kentucky Derby recorded in the history books, attention shifts to Maryland and the Preakness. The question on everyone's lips is “Does he have what it takes to win the Triple Crown?” Of course, I'm talking about Orb, the Derby favorite who didn't disappoint.

We've seen how Orb, wisely piloted by Joel Rosario, lingered near the back of the pack while suicidal fractions were set by Palace Malice up front. Orb picked it up around the far turn and blew by a tiring Normandy Invasion to win the roses by 2 ½ lengths. Now it's on to what could be the most difficult challenge of Orb's career.

Looking Forward

According to this report, most of the Derby contenders won't tangle with Orb in the Preakness and a few will await the Belmont Stakes to take on the champ. Orb's greatest challengers in the second leg of the Triple Crown may come from the speedy Goldencents, or perhaps a newcomer will try to upset the race. Good luck with that. Since 1984, only three horses that didn't compete in the Kentucky Derby won the Preakness – Red Bullet, Bernardini and Rachel Al

2013 Kentucky Oaks: Pedigrees and Picks

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:45:40 GMT

Sports media's gaze has shifted to Kentucky. Practically every hair covering the Kentucky Derby contenders has been analyzed, morning works are scrutinized and debates rage over the ability of this or that horse to get 1 ¼ miles. However, before the colts take their spot in the gate on Saturday, we have another another race, no less important, on Friday. The Kentucky Oaks field is just as deep and contentious as the colt counterpart. A potential superstar or two may emerge from the Oaks.

There's no shortage of speed in the Oaks. Nine of the ten fillies like to set or press the pace. Three of them are undefeated. I'll rate each filly's overall chances using pedigree, class and running style.

BEHOLDER (Henny Hughes - Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek)

Race record: 8-5-2-0 ($1,575,000)

The daughter of sprinter Henny Hughes is two noses away from being undefeated in her last seven starts. Beholder does her best running on the lead. The three times that she failed to win, she sat behind another horse. Beholder has a sprinter/miler pedigree. Her sire failed to win past s

Female Famlies and the Kentucky Derby

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:20:12 GMT

Many articles have been authored regarding the sires and sire lines of U.S. Classic winners, classic referring to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. However, not as much attention is given to the distaff families of the Triple Crown heroes. Like their sire counterparts, certain distaff lines produce more classic victors than others.

Here's a quick history lesson on female family numbers. At the end of the nineteenth century, Bruce Lowe, an Australian pedigree researcher, invented a way to classify the female families of thoroughbreds. He traced the English Classic winners back to their female family origins, then counted the number of Classic winners from each family and numbered the original mares.

Lowe numbered 43 female families. In ongoing efforts, the English female families were expanded to 50 and later families native to America, Argentina, Poland, and Australia were developed. To make things easy, the thoroughbred female families were sorted by number and letter for classification. The lower case letters are con