The classic season is the time of year when stallions can really fill in their resumes. Not only can success send a few more mares of the right sort into their books, but the winners of major preps or of … Continue reading →

The first time I saw Malibu Moon was at the Pons family’s Country Life Farm in Maryland in the fall of 1999, just before the colt entered stud the following year. There was not much to know about the young … Continue reading →

On Kentucky Derby day, no sun shined brightly. Instead, it was a dark and rainy day, but there was an Orb who shined nonetheless. That was a dark bay colt gleaming with water and streaked with mud from the sloppy … Continue reading →

One advantage that home breeders have in the selection of stock is that they can make themselves aware of subtleties in stock that are meaningful and can disregard things that are not. For Emory Alexander Hamilton, who bred and sold … Continue reading →

With the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby less than two weeks away, the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland and Illinois Derby at Hawthorne were essentially the final two preps for classic colts, especially since trainers apparently can no longer prepare a … Continue reading →

Victory in Saturday’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland made Java’s War the first Grade 1 winner from the progeny of 2007 champion juvenile War Pass (by Cherokee Run). The Blue Grass winner joins G2 Louisiana Derby winner Revolutionary as … Continue reading →

Now unbeaten in four races, Verrazano made himself one of the chief favorites for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby with his victory in the Wood Memorial over the Tapit colt Normandy Invasion. Those two, along with Florida Derby winner Orb, … Continue reading →

“He who is tired of watching Animal Kingdom race is tired of sport.” That’s a rough rewriting of Samuel Johnson’s comment about London, but it captures the spirit that the great man of letters was working to convey. So, it … Continue reading →

With a Sunland Park double in their Derby and Oaks, Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm’s young sire Midnight Lute scored successes that confound simple analysis of stallion potential and performance. The stallion’s son Govenor Charlie won the Sunland Park Derby by … Continue reading →

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, Tapit grabs your leg and pulls you under! At least that was my thought when Tapit’s gray daughter Joyful Victory pulled away from More Chocolate (by Malibu … Continue reading →