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Together (IRE) at Keeneland: Why the US (Can’t) Doesn’t Run Back on Short Rest
“What is he doing with this filly? She can’t run back again so soon after a big effort just last week, pass.” – paraphrased remark from DRF ‘expert’ handicapper on radio in Louisville last Saturday morning speaking about eventual winner of the QEII Turf Challenge, an Irish filly named Together.
The entire world has horses than can run two top efforts within the same week at the highest levels of the game, except the United States in the 21st century. Make no mistake, this practice was a common occurrence in the old days of US racing, heck we even have a race called the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on the Tuesday before the First Saturday in May – although it probably should be renamed the Preakness Trial these days. Read more...
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PEDIGREE ANALYSIS
TrueNicks’ Alan Porter, discusses the family of Awesome Maria, who has been truly awesome this year and is in the running for the top spot in the Older Female division. He also gets into the families of other recent stakes winners, such as Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision), and JP’s Gusto (Successful Appeal). True Nicks' Alan Porter discusses the families of current stakes winners
Abigail Anderson's blog, The Vault, is one of the best places to get the scoop on pedigree analysis. She writes in a way even the rank beginner (which includes me!) can understand. Abigail Anderson: Rachel, Rags and Zenyatta, the Power of X Part 2
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DOSAGE
The Origin of Dosage and What it Means
Plus, how theorists use dosage in conjunction with the Experimental Free Handicap to try to select winners of the Kentucky Derby
Origins of dosage
For years, dosage has represented one of the most popular methods of pedigree evaluation. In brief terms, it calculates a horse’s distance potential based on certain stallions that show up in the pedigree. Although not universally embraced, the ideas behind dosage have long fascinated students of bloodlines. Read more...
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The Importance of Dam Lines in Breeding
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The Importance of Dam Lines in Breeding
Genetic lineage is not only traced through the female line, there are certain genetic traits, such as a large heart and intelligence that are carried on the female X chromosome.
1. Maternal Grandsire effect:
Thoroughbred breeders have observed that some stallions do not produce great sons, but great daughters, who then create great sons 1. A female has two X chromosomes (XX) and a male has an X and a Y (XY). As the X chromosome from the stallion can only be given to his daughters, his sons will never inherit those traits. It is the dam that gives the X chromosome to her offspring. Since some desired traits are passed down on only the X chromosome it makes the dam line even more important. Read more...
THE SOFTENING OF THE THOROUGHBRED RUNNER
by Ellen Parker
Forseeing the Problem
Twenty-four years ago, I wrote a two-part story for The Texas Thoroughbred called "The Choice Is Yours", which won an American Horse Publications third-place award for feature article. One question I posed in that long-ago story was "Are we allowing the commercial selling market to dictate our pedigrees?" Read more...
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UNBRIDLED'S SONG
By Ellen Parker
"We're breeding the bone right out of these horses."
~A veterinarian examining Thoroughbreds at a well-known Kentucky farm
When one is looking at current trends in unsound breeding, one of the first names that comes to mind is Unbridled's Song.
Certainly the physical weaknesses in Unbridled's Song were evident long before he was retired to stud. He was sold at a Pomona auction for $1.4-million as an unraced two-year-old but the buyer returned him when post-sale X-rays revealed a flake on the left front ankle. Read more...
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Eight Belles' breakdown: a predictable tragedy
By Bill Nack
Special to ESPN
As the 20 horses were being loaded into the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby, with Eight Belles -- standing in post position five -- poised to make her bid to become only the fourth filly in history to win America's most important race, Ellen Parker, a thoroughbred breeding consultant and analyst in Kentucky, said quietly to her husband, "I just hope this filly doesn't break down."
Read more...
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Chasing the X-Factor
by Spiletta42
Just what is it that makes up a champion racehorse? Speed, certainly. Stamina, without a doubt. But, besides conformation, what factors are related to speed and stamina? Good racehorses come in all shapes, and the best built yearling at the sale doesn't always turn out a winner. Mentally, the potential champion needs a number of factors, not the least of which is courage. Willingness to run is at least as important as ability. Physically, one thing a successful horse needs is adequate lung capacity. Another is an efficient heart muscle. Read more...
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Thoroughbred Terminology
Thoroughbred Terminology
WTBA staffer Sue van Dyke compiled the following to give industry members and others a better understanding of Thoroughbred terminology. Some of the terms are defined according to local standards They are divided into three categories: Breeding and Pedigree Terms; Racing Terms; and Conformation and Veterinary Terms. (Published originally in the Washington Thoroughbred, March and April, 1999.) Read more....
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Pedigree Query
Thoroughbred Pedigree Database
Link=> Pedigree Query - Best site for free info & subscription products
An online Thoroughbred horse database consisting of more than 1.2 million horses from around the world. You can pull up the pedigree for any horse in the database by simply entering its name in the form above and clicking the "Horse Query" button. For more about using this site or reading pedigrees, make sure to check out the Help menu. Free reports include 5-deep pedigree charts, free progeny, free photos, stakes wins.
You can also read and participate in discussions at the Message Board. You will need to sign up to post comments, but it is free, and even if you are a novice, you will learn a lot by reading the discussions.
Usage of charts in handicapping:
Link=> Part of the Pedigree Query site - Usage in Handicapping
A short guide to understanding the pedigree charts and terms used on their site and a quick pedigree handicapping guide. Dosage explained, dosage profile, dosage rating, Reines (the contribution of the female family line), etc.
A short guide to understanding the pedigree charts and terms used on their site and a quick pedigree handicapping guide. Dosage explained, dosage profile, dosage rating, Reines (the contribution of the female family line), etc.
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Breeding Principles
This is a short outline of the statistically proven breeding principles known also as the Tesio Methods. The following principles of successful breeding were identified, tested and developed by the Thoroughbred Industry. We have adopted and adjusted these breeding steps to fit our sport horse goals. These key points are backed up by statistical evidence, so you can be confident that there is a documented history showing that these steps work. What we have learned from their success is that in order to breed a better sport horse we should attempt the following: Read more...
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Tesio Methods
What are Tesio Methods and why should we use them?
Frederico Tesio, an Italian born in 1869, is one of the most significant people in Thoroughbred breeding ever. He is also an example and inspiration for those of us who want to create an excellent sport horse. He is called a genius by many because he possessed a remarkably analytical mind that was also highly intuitive and artistic. He applied his considerable intellect to the task of selecting and improving the genetics in his racehorse herd- long before genetics were understood, and what he designed made breeding history. His success record has never been equaled by another. We call the process he used Tesio Methods. Read more...
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Thoroughbred Breeding Theories
Thoroughbred Breeding Theories
From Wikipedia:
Thoroughbred horse breeding theories run the gamut from the more common careful statistical analyses to the fanciful and the superstitious. The dream of the next legendary racehorse arising from the perfect pairing of sire and dam motivates the manager both for potential financial gain and for prestige. By careful analysis of bloodlines, particularly the female line, the potential breeder can attempt to predict beneficial pairings. Read more...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sex Balance
What exactly is sex balanced breeding? The pedigree experts Porter and Peters state "...the concept of 'balanced breeding' evolved from the statistical evidence that inbreeding and linebreeding to selected ancestors through sons and daughters was far more successful than through sons alone or daughters alone, combinations of brothers, sisters, three-parts brothers and sisters and other genetic relatives being particularly effective."
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The Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred as it is known today was first developed in 17th and 18th century England, when native mares were crossbred with imported Arabian stallions. All modern Thoroughbreds can trace their pedigrees to three stallions originally imported into England in the 17th century and 18th century, and to 74 foundation mares of English and Oriental (Arabian, Turkoman or Barb) blood. During the 18th century and 19th century, the Thoroughbred breed spread throughout the world; they were imported into North America starting in 1730 and into Australia, Europe, Japan and South America during the 19th century. Millions of Thoroughbreds exist worldwide today, with over 118,000 foals registered each year worldwide. Read more...
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Pocahantas and the Large-Heart Gene
X Chromosome and Sex Linked Genes
How can a mare born in 1837 still be important 170 years later? Her pedigree holds the key. This mare, Pocahontas, is the main conduit of the large heart gene -- a sex linked gene, which traveled on both her x chromosomes to the champions of today. Read more...
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THOROUGHBRED CONFORMATION
Leg Set: Its Effect on Action and Soundness of Horses
Melvin Bradley
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia
It is difficult to over-emphasize underpinning (feet and legs) when appraising the worth of a horse. Except for breeding stock, horses are useful only when in motion. In a very real sense, the horse is an athlete. Any physical handicap that causes it to be clumsy, use excessive energy to perform a task, be hard riding, lack strength or speed, or wear excessively, decreases its potential usefulness. Read more...
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How horses are put together and why they can run so fast.The conformation of a racehorse essentially means how well he is put together in order to accomplish the task he was bred to do - run fast. Conformation is the blending of the various body parts, and how well they fit together visually and physically to create a running machine. If you were to look at Michael Jordan standing next to Rosanne Barr, you could instantly determine which person had the better conformation to excel at playing basketball. Its never that obvious with horses, but to a trained eye with many years of experience, the differences between a potentially great horse and and average horse can be seen. Read more...
Thoroughbred Horse Pedigree and Bloodlines
The thoroughbred horse is a breed of horse developed in the 18th century. English mares were bred to Arabian stallions in order to create a breed of horse capable of running great distances. All modern thoroughbred horses are descendants of three horses: the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerly Turk. These horses were named after their owners - Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin and Captain Robert Byerly. Read more...
Equine Conformation - Wiki page
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History of the Aga Khan family in Breeding & Racing
