Welcome
The Thoroughbred business is always a challenge, but in a tough economy, it’s even more important to make sound decisions that protect your investments. This is not the time to be cutting costs by eliminating the experts who provide advice to keep you from making stupid mistakes. Use your advisors: trainers,
bloodstock agents, pedigree consultants, farm managers, veterinarians, blacksmiths, nutritionists and whoever else has expertise in their respective fields
that you do not.  

In pedigree consultancy, don't confuse expertise with
the ability to look up a "nick rating" on the internet.  
In my opinion, the recent war of the nick ratings has done more to damage the field of pedigree study than anything in recent memory. A good advisor knows
that nicks are just a part of the equation, and not the answer. A good advisor knows that pedigree and conformation are inextricably linked, and has a solid understanding of both as it applies to the horse standing in front of them. A good advisor doesn't baffle you with pedigree mythologies that have no basis in reality. A good advisor considers your goals, your budget, and your preferences, and will work within your parameters or recommend when they need to be realistically revised. A good advisor of any kind is honest and objective.

It's important to realize that breeding Thoroughbreds is an exercise in genetics - knowledge of the gene pool and how the traits are passed on. We are breeding racehorses, which means we are breeding for performance, inspecting the best runners and sires will quickly show you that perfect conformation is not a requirement for excellence. With all the factors that need to be weighed and balanced, Thoroughbred breeding is as much an art as a science; an intellectual exercise at its best and a crap shoot at its worst.  

Recently Published Articles:
Blood-Horse May 18, 2013 issue: Kentucky Derby winners as sires
Blood-Horse May 4, 2013 issue: Black Caviar
Blood-Horse Apr 20, 2013 issue: Lines of Battle
Blood-Horse Apr 6, 2013 issue: Awesome Again
Blood-Horse Mar 23, 2013 issue: Sires of Sires
Blood-Horse Mar 9, 2013 issue: Shakin It Up
Blood-Horse Feb 23, 2013 issue: Tapit
Blood-Horse Feb 9, 2013 issue: Wise Dan
Blood-Horse Jan 26, 2013 issue: Mizdirection
Blood-Horse Jan 12, 2013 issue: Spring At Last
DRF: 2012 September Sales: Top 50 Hips
DRF: 2012 Septembers Sales: Big Brown, Curlin among first crop sires
DRF: 2012 Yearling sales: Flower Alley having a rebound year.
DRF: 2012 Yearlings: Introducing the next class of sires.
DRF: New York stallion colony continues overhaul in 2012
DRF: Uncle Mo leads new class of Kentucky sires for 2012
DRF: Daneill leading broodmare sire of 2011
DRF: Smart Strike leading turf sire of 2011
DRF: Scat Daddy leading freshman sire of 2011
Thoroughbred Times: Mr Prospector potent Belmont Influence
Daily Racing Form: 2011 September Sales Observations
Daily Racing Form: 2011 September Sales 50 Book 1 picks
Daily Racing Form: Leading Sires of 2010 Giant's Causeway
Daily Racing Form: Leading Turf Sire of 2010 Dynaformer
Daily Racing Form: Leading Broodmare Sire of 2010 Sadler's Wells
Daily Racing Form: New Sires for 2011

Thoroughbred Times 2011 Freshman Sire Analysis

OXBOW SCORES IN THE PREAKNESS
While I hoped Orb would win the Preakness, I made sure to put a place and show bet on Oxbow after hearing Gary Stevens's comments on the colt after the Derby. Oxbow is interesting because he's by the grand sire Awesome Again and out of Tizamazing by Cee's Tizzy out of Cee's Song (so a full sister to Tiznow). This makes him a close relative of last year's good 3-year-old and G1 winner Paynter, also by Awesome Again out of Tizso, another full sister to Tiznow. And he's bred similarly to Ghostzapper, by Awesome Again out of Baby Zip, by Relaunch, who also sired Cee's Tizzy. So we know where the talent comes from. If only we could figure out where that weird roanish coloration comes from.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ORB AND HIS CONNECTIONS
I picked Orb for the Kentucky Derby this year as one of the very few horses in the race with the pedigree that I felt confident could go the mile and a quarter distance. Fortunately, he proved even better than I could have imagined. I've always been a fan of Malibu Moon and the female family speaks for itself. Orb has stamped himself as the best stallion prospect available, by my estimation. What a king of a horse!

HOORAY FOR PRINCESS OF SYLMAR AND MAJESTIC WARRIOR
I was not only lucky enough to have a $2 bet on Princess of Sylmar to win the Kentucky Oaks (which she did at 38-1 odds!), but I have always been a big fan of her sire Majestic Warrior.  I tapped Majestic Warrior as a prime stallion prospect for a former employer after his maiden win at two, and he was one of my choices as Leading Freshman Sire last year, which he was by number of winners (30) and fourth by earnings.

I am excited to have scouted out the sires of this year's Kentucky Oaks winner (Majestic Warrior) and last year's Kentucky Derby winner (Flower Alley, sire of I'll Have Another).

LOOKING FOR A STALLION PROSPECT
Black-type runner with a quality pedigree; soundness and stamina are priorities.

2013 FRESHMAN SIRES
No one has asked my opinion yet, but I'll offer it anyhow. My favorite freshman sires this year are:
Kodiak Kowboy
Einstein (BRZ)
Pioneerof The Nile
Tale of Ekati

TOBA SEMINAR OCT 6-7, 2013
I will be speaking at the TOBA Pedigree and Conformation Clinic scheduled for October 6-7, 2013 in Lexington, KY. Hope to see you there!

NEW STALLIONS FOR 2013
I keep a regularly updated list of new stallions and roster changes that will help breeders for the upcoming season. One of my favorite racehorses becoming a new stallion is Union Rags, who I thought was the best 2-year-old of 2011, and was one of two horses I was rooting for to win the Kentucky Derby (the other was I'll Have Another). In the absence of I'll Have Another, I transferred loyalties to Union Rags for the Belmont, which of course, he won. 'Rags has the combination of precociousness and middle distance ability, as well as Grade A pedigree that I look for in a stallion prospect. New stallions in Kentucky include:
Union Rags               $35,000
Bodemeister             $30,000
To Honor and Serve$30,000
Americain                 $20,000
Shackleford              $20,000
Stay Thirsty             $20,000
Creative Cause        $15,000
Gemologist               $15,000
Tapizar                      $15,000
The Factor                $15,000
Hansen                     $12,500
Brilliant Speed         $10,000
Caleb's Posse           $10,000
Jersey Town             $10,000
Midas Touch (GB)   $10,000
Aikenite                    $ 7,500
Algorithms                $ 7,500
Astrology                  $ 7,500
Bullet Train (GB)     $ 7,500
Dialed In                   $ 7,500
Lentenor                   $ 7,500
Mythical Power        $ 7,500
Santiva                      $ 7,500
Maclean's Music     $ 6,500
Baryshnikov             $ 5,000
Country Day             $ 5,000
Get Stormy               $ 5,000
Stately Victor           $ 5,000

There are a good number of horses who have retired since last spring who have not yet found a farm to call home. Regional stallion managers should review this list to see who might be available.

I'll Have Another's stud fee in Japan
Big Red Farm's website now shows us a lovely (but small) conformation photo of Kentucky Derby/ Preakness hero I'll Have Another, and mention that
his stud fee for 2013 will be 3,200,000 yen. That
currently converts to just over US $40,000. That's
not such a crazy stud fee for the kind of runner he
was, but it's obvious from the lack of response he
got from Kentucky stallion managers that I'll Have
Another could never have demanded that here next spring. His sire, Flower Alley, will undoubtedly have
a stud fee bump up but how much is the question.
He was trading for $15,000 after the Preakness and covered 132 mares by the end of the 2012 season compared to 79 mares in 2011. He has another talented 3-year-old colt in G2 winner Neck 'n Neck, so he's clearly not a one-horse sire, and at $20,000,
he easily fills his book next spring.

I couldn't be happier or more proud watching Flower Alley's son I'll Have Another run down the game Bodemeister to win the Preakness just like he won the Kentucky Derby two weeks before. This is a fantastic, gorgeous colt, and now he's hopefully headed to Belmont to finish his Triple Crown bid in the Belmont Stakes. Have I mentioned lately that I'm a sucker for a chestnut horse with a star?

At my "going away party" at Three Chimneys Farm in the fall of 2010, Robert Clay asked what I was most proud of during my time there as Stallion Seasons and Matings Advisor. I didn't hesitate to answer "It's important to me that Flower Alley do well as a stallion," since I was the one pushing for the farm to get him as a stallion when others gave him the thumbs down.

Flower Alley was generally praised as the best-looking horse entering stud in Kentucky in 2007, but it took three long years of waiting to see what would come of that talent and those good looks. His first crop included the Graded stakes-winning fillies Lilacs And Lace and Bouquet Booth. His second crop includes Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner I'll Have Another. In retrospect, it seems kind of a no-brainer that one of the best sons of the classic sire Distorted Humor (sire of Funny Cide and Drosselmeyer) should follow in his daddy's footsteps as a classic sire. I'm so proud of my boy Flower Alley!

War Pass
Majestic Warrior
Ready's Image
Horse Greeley
First Defence

Other first crop 2yos by: Curlin, Big Brown, Henrythenavigator, Midnight Lute, Street Boss, Tiz Wonderful, Divine Park, Brother Derek, Harlington, Into Mischief, Notional, Spring At Last, Student Council, Zanjero, Red Giant, Elite Squadron, Magna Graduate, Street Hero, Lewis Michael, Niagara Causeway.  

My pick for the 2011 Thoroughbred Times Freshman Sire Contest was Scat Daddy! I was the only one of the four experts on the panel who selected him.