Sid Fernando

Serena’s Song’s yearling sales history is blueprint for Grace

Can Amanda Pope recoup her $10 million investment in Havre de Grace? Though the 2011 Horse of the Year is a “collector’s item,” Ms. Pope has said she plans to sell commercially from the mare with the hopes of at least getting some of ... Read More...

Game clips highlighting middle infielder from Brooklyn

Some actual game footage from this past summer highlighting 2014 middle infielder Joe Fernando, in the early stages of college recruiting as a first semester junior with interest from several academic D1 schools. He’s 1 for 4 at the plate in the ... Read More...

A small piece of fiction: Life on a stud farm in another era

Perhaps a short story? Yes, I wrote it. Homer ran the place for the Captain. He was the foreman, only 23. I was 16, his assistant. Not in any official way. Just did what Homer told me to. Everyone on the place called me his boy, but not in a fairy sort... Read More...

Sharp Secretary: from $1,100 to $110,000 at Keeneland

Check out the price valuation of this filly, from a $1,100 short yearling, to stakes winner of $346,012, to claimer, to her sale the other day at Keeneland. Keep in mind that despite her paltry price as a yearling, she’d matured into an extremely... Read More...

Thoroughbred Times TODAY column on Henrythenavigator

Click here to read about Ashford Stud’s freshman sire, now represented by two Group 1 colts in Europe. Read More...

Ghostzapper colt from ‘Rags’ and Jazil family wins Derby

For the fifth consecutive year, a US-based sire was represented by the winner of the Russian Derby. Ghostzapper’s well-bred son Ghost Honour won the 2400-meter Russian classic on dirt at the Central Moscow Hippodrome Sunday, August 19, following ... Read More...

Goodrich recalls the back story of Majestic Prince, Belmont

Wednesday night on Twitter, after following a discussion among fans speculating on I’ll Have Another’s physical condition for the Belmont, I made the following statements about Majestic Prince, the undefeated Derby and Preakness winner of 1... Read More...

Shepard and Hemingway as enchanted with horses as us

Got a sandwich from Subway, settled on the hotel bed, and opened the book I’d just bought in Amherst on the recommendation of North American Trainer editor Frances J. Karon. “Day out of Days” is a short story collection by Pulitzer wi... Read More...

Hemingway: Mangled horses, dead jockeys, dope, fixed races

Pulitzer winner Walt Bogdanich and co-authors were the most recent to write dramatically about “mangled horses,” drugs, breakdowns, and injured jockeys in America (New York Times), but before them Nobel winner Ernest Hemingway, a one-time j... Read More...

Union Rags again: Unlucky or does he have curse of Gorytus?

What’s a Gorytus? A Gorytus is a case for holding arrows. Who’s Gorytus? He was a gorgeous physical specimen by Nijinsky out of Glad Rags, trained by Dick Hern for Alice duPont Mills in England. Gorytus won his first two starts at 2 in a ma... Read More...

Clarifying some terms, such as ‘bleeder’; and Drape quote

There’s so much confusion about exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in articles, blogs, and SM today that I want to clarify some issues as they have appeared in recent posts in this space. For one, whenever possible I’ve defined a ... Read More...

A look at EIPH history and its prevalence in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has strict testing requirements in place for exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in potential imports, but nevertheless would you believe that bleeders (defined here as those exhibiting epsitaxis, or bleeding t... Read More...

A closer look at the Hong Kong model, breakdowns, Lasix

Hong Kong racing is frequently cited as a model for US racing to follow because race-day furosemide is not permitted and breakdown rates are among the lowest in the world. Joe Drape, the New York Times racing writer, once tweeted: “Not complex: I... Read More...

On Fire Baby’s early form without Lasix no different now

Anita Cauley’s highly regarded homebred On Fire Baby, 4-1 co-second choice on the morning line for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs, began her racing career as a rarity these days. She made her debut at Ellis Park last Augus... Read More...

From TTimes TODAY: Salix talk on Twitter puts me to sleep

Horsemen and racing veterinarians, however, will tell you, me, Crist, and Drape that Salix, more than any of the other ‘adjunct’ anti-bleeding medications—Amicar, Kentucky Red, Clotol, and Tranex—that are also allowed on race d... Read More...

From NAT: Scratching beneath the surface of injury debate

If the late Arnold Kirkpatrick was still penning this column, he’d say – with his trademark wit, a straight face, and a twinkle in his eyes – to industry leaders about the expose, ‘And if you didn’t know this was coming, fellas, with all ... Read More...

Bernardini’s success as sire does not include California yet

It’s possible that the harder tracks out west don’t suit the progeny of Bernardini, one of the best young sires at stud today. His offspring have won on eastern dirt, all variations of all weather, and turf, but it’s notable that he h... Read More...

Princess Arabella injury actually highlights strength of Oaks

The Bob Baffert-trained Sunland Park Oaks winner Princess Arabella, it was announced today, was retired with a tendon injury. A  New York Times expose from March 25 about breakdowns/injuries and the state of the racing industry highlighted Ruidoso Dow... Read More...

Zayat, Baffert, and the Unbridled sire line of Bodemeister

Ahmed Zayat got into the business in 2005, and in 2006 he made the splashy $4.6 million yearling purchase later named Maimonides. A son of the ultra talented Seattle Slew 2-year-old Vindication,  Maimonides was trained by Bob Baffert to win one of two... Read More...

Only four 2yo Grade 1 winners have also won Derby since BC

Only four 2-year-old Grade 1 winners have won the Kentucky Derby since 1985, a span of 27 years (15 percent). Before that, from the institution of Graded races in 1973 to the start of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984 , five Grade 1 winners at 2 won 11 ... Read More...

Thoroughbred Times TODAY column on 2yos and Derby

Specialist 2-year-olds versus late-developing classic colts: Only five of 27 Kentucky Derby winners since the first Breeders’ Cup races in 1984 have raced in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. And only one BC Juvenile winner has won the Derby. Mor... Read More...

Spa juvenile races have had little effect on Derby winners

After I tweeted yesterday that the first Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner (Chief’s Crown, 1984) also won the Saratoga Special Stakes but that the last Saratoga Special winner (1983) to win the Derby was Swale in 1984, a self-described “a... Read More...

Analysis: Last 10 Kentucky Derby winners and their form at 2

When he won the Grade 1 Florida Derby Saturday, Take Charge Indy became the eighth individual Graded stakes winner of 2012 to exit the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile of last year. Plus several others, including the highly regarded Dullahan, have placed Read More...

Times expose notwithstanding, troubling figures at NYRA

These are troubling days for the racing industry. After an unusually high number of equine deaths at the Aqueduct winter inner-dirt meet versus the last three seasons, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office got involved and asked the New York Racing... Read More...

Dicing and slicing the Times data reveals East Coast is safer

The lengthy New York Times article from March 25 about breakdowns/injuries and the state of the racing industry contained some valuable and interesting data from its analysis of more than 150,000 races from 2009 to 2011. Most revealing was its publicat... Read More...

Deep Impact living his name with World Ace classic bound

As a racehorse and physical specimen, Japanese triple crown hero Deep Impact was the opposite of Tiznow and the Man o’ War strain of tall, rangy, front-running types of the Relaunch branch described in the post below this one. Deep Impact was may... Read More...

Tiznow expresses stamina, free-running speed of Man o’ War

The Man o’ War sire line is alive and kicking in the US today through WinStar’s Tiznow, whose descent to the iconic chestnut great goes like this: through Cee’s Tizzy/Relaunch/In Reality/Intentionally/Intent/War Relic/Man o’ War... Read More...

Japan’s Smart Falcon has some form to make a case in Dubai

Smart Falcon, a Japanese-bred 7-year-old son of Gold Allure, is an intriguing but little-known runner (for US audiences, anyway) slated for the $10 million Dubai World Cup March 31, but he’s being held as a second choice to So You Think in many E... Read More...

Non stakes-winning sires have had enough success at stud

I recently gave a regional breeder a piece of advice on a potential sire prospect who’d shown ability on the track in limited starts, had placed in a stakes race, is a handsome physical specimen, and is by one of the leading young sires at stud f... Read More...

In the Spotlight runs away with the Indian Derby Sunday

By Major Srinivas Nargolkar (Retd.) In The Spotlight (Alnasr Alwasheek – Radiate by Placerville) waited behind the early pace, struck the front at Mahalakshmi as soon as they straightened for the final run in, and stormed away to win the McDowe... Read More...

Vijay Mallya, Usha Stud get a Smashing Indian Oaks

By Maj. Srinivas Nargolkar (Retd.) Dr. Vijay Mallya and Usha Stud ended their draught of “classics” — neither had won even one of the sixteen, including the regional versions, since the start of the winter season in November — ... Read More...

Compile ‘official’ US sire lists by domestic earnings only

re several posts below this on sire list discrepancies The Blood-Horse editorial director Eric Mitchell explained his publication’s stance on compiling sire lists in a column recently (a link to it is available in the post below this one). The ma... Read More...

More on sire lists and the Scat Daddy vs Hard Spun issue

For more on the controversial sire lists published annually in US publications, see below. In yesterday’s issue of Thoroughbred Times TODAY, I wrote the following column calling for “official” sire lists from The Jockey Club. Click he... Read More...

Scat Daddy versus Hard Spun for the freshman sire title

Sid Fernando via ENicks More at Thoroughbred Times TODAY tonight (Wed edition) Horse Race: Scat Daddy vs Hard Spun storify.com The race between Ashford’s Scat Daddy and Darley’s Hard Spun for champion freshman sire went down to the last d... Read More...

Cape Premier Sale in January seeks to build on success

By Thomas J. Thornbury (Associate Director of Sales, Keeneland)  The results of the 2011 inaugural Cape Premier Sale were so rewarding that all the breeders in South Africa took notice. The idea is simple: create a select sale of the very best yearli... Read More...

Pronto Pronto, son of Major Impact, won Indian Guineas

By Major Srinivas Nargolkar (Retd.) Handled brilliantly by Richard Hughes — a chance ride for him since the declared jockey Y.S. Srinath was indisposed — Pronto Pronto (Major Impact - Sandslash), having his first run in five months, lifte... Read More...

Alma Mater swoops from last to first in Indian 1000 Guineas

By Major Srinivas Nargolkar (Retd.) Laying last at the half-way stage of the Indian 1000 Guineas, Gr.1, Sunday, jockey B. Prakash on Alma Mater (Royal Kingdom – La Pieta) improved spectacularly — travelling widest of all — to be in ... Read More...

Professor Sugarcane Hancock: Intellectual, racing fan, dude

More than a year ago, I visited the Northampton fairgrounds and documented what was left of the racetrack, grandstand, and barn area. Click here to read the post and see the photos. For me, it was akin to an archeological expedition because I’d b... Read More...

Overdose returns to winning international Group form today

The star-crossed Hungarian racehorse Overdose, last seen finishing fourth in the five-furlong Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes June 14 at Ascot, reappeared today in Italy at the Capannelle to win the Group 3 Premio CEF Aloisi over 1200 meters (about s... Read More...

Razeen’s unique feat: Son of Northern Dancer dominates day

By Major Srinivas Nargolkar (Retd.) Sunday, Razeen’s daughter Hills and Stars won the Nanoli Stud Pune Derby, Gr.1, in a new track record time. That was his only winner of the day when 11 races were run. Six of the other winners—Yuville... Read More...

Teofilo’s first Group 1 winner has Galileo x Montjeu mixture

Teofilo, a first-season son of Galileo, was represented by his first Group 1 winner today when 2-year-old colt Parish Hall won the Dubai Dewhurst at Newmarket for breeder/trainer Jim Bolger and his mother, owner Jackie Bolger. The same combination (plu... Read More...

Decline of stamina in our racing program has impact in shed

[Part of the following was extrapolated from my talk at the pedigree symposium in Lexington from earlier this month. They are notes that I used.] In the 1970s, five North American-breds won the Derby: ’70 Nijinsky (Northern Dancer) ’71 Mill Reef (N... Read More...

Storm Cat sire responsible for the Indian St. Leger winner

By Major Srinivas Nargolkar (Retd.) Macchupicchu (Emerald Cat- Anaroma by Razeen), owned by Messrs. Berjis Minoo Desai, Vijay B. Shrike & K.N. Dhunjibhoy, won the McDowell Signature Indian St. Leger, Gr.1, in fine style at Pune Sunday, clocking a ... Read More...

Video (from Android phone): St. Leger run at incredible pace

The Video here is from an Android phone tape. Masked Marvel, under William Buick, won an incredible St. Leger today. The 14-furlong classic at Doncaster was marked by an incredulously quick early pace that took the legs off most of the runners and rew... Read More...

Video: So You Think holds off Snow Fairy in an Irish thriller

What a run by So You Think to hold off Snow Fairy in the Group 1 Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown today! Notice the size of the NZ-bred ex-Aussie star next to pacemaker Roderic O’Connor and the filly. Read More...

The breed is indeed faster, but can it carry its speed here?

Emma Berry, the bloodstock editor at Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder in the UK, tweeted a link yesterday to a very interesting online piece dated August 31, 2011, by James Willoughby, titled, “The breed stays further, faster.” (Her husba... Read More...

Back in the day, the USSR bred and raced some rock stars

During the early 1960s, If you’d uttered the phrase “I gotta piss like a Russian racehorse at the Kentucky Derby with a glue truck behind it” within earshot of the Russian contingent that frequented the Washington DC International, KG... Read More...

Polish racehorses, Kazakhstan Derby, and the Danzig line

Here’s the video of the Kazakhstan Derby from Aug. 20. The winner, Debet, was bred in Poland, a country in the US racing news lately because of a Polish stakes winner (the US-bred Santina Dond) that won a stakes race at Arlington for her Russian ... Read More...

Kentucky racehorses, Russian President’s Cup, and Kadyrov

Mr. Hal Dane is a reader of this blog, a follower of Russian racing, and a frequent and contentious commentator here. In the two posts below this, Hal has made several comments about Russian racing, and I thought I’d take the opportunity here to ... Read More...

Russian racehorses, the Kentucky Derby, and a glue truck

The Russian combination of Gennadi Dorochenko and owner Vladimir Kazakov, who recently won a stakes race on the Arlington Million undercard, may eventually change the perception of Russian racehorses as more than low-level performers, but for now they... Read More...