The family of the Troy mare Cocotte has been hot this year with four group/graded winners among her descendents. First, in May, Creachadoir captured his first group I win in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. Then on June 29, Creachadoir’s half-brother Youmzain took the Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I). Rated...

The Man o’ War Stakes (gr. I) witnessed not only the defeated of Curlin on his turf debut, but also a return to form of the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. I) hero Red Rocks, who was taking his first stakes win since the spring of 2007. Red Rocks, a son of one of Europe’s dominant [...]

The influence of Sharpen Up’s son Diesis was strongly felt on the Thursday of Newmarket’s July meeting. Last year’s St. Leger (gr. I) winner Lucarno –- out of a mare by Diesis –- led throughout to take the Princess of Wales’s Stakes (gr. II), while 2-year-old Classic Blade (by a son of Diesis) employed...

The Hungarian-trained mare Kincsem was one of the greatest runners of the 19th century, winning 54 races without defeat, in six different countries, between 1876 and 1879. Those victories included the Goodwood Cup in England and the Grand Prix de Deauville in France — in the space of 17 days —...

It’s no secret that Street Cry (IRE) has made an exceptional start to his stud career, but his performance over the July 4 weekend can’t go without comment. First, on July 4, Summer Doldrums captured the Presque Isle Mile Stakes. Out of a mare by Unaccounted For, she is rated A++ by TrueNicks. Then came...

Take one part grandson of Danzig with one part daughter of Equalize and shake… what do you get? The A++ TrueNicks-rated and current sprinting superstar Lucky Island (Arg), that is what! Starting on the 4th of July in the time-honored Tom Fool Handicap (gr. II), Lucky Island burst out of the gates...

It’s no secret that Giant’s Cauesway is having another very good season. Currently sitting third on the 2008 sires’ ist, he has been represented by by 10 stakes winners this year, nine of them graded. He added a new grade I winner at the weekend when his son Frost Giant won the Suburban Handicap in ...

Throughout the history of the Thoroughbred there have been a number of occurrences where full brothers have performed very well at stud – the European foundation stallions Pharos and Fairway, the North American duo Bull Dog and Sir Gallahad, the Australian stallions Todman and Noholme. More recently...

That under-appreciated Nijinsky II-line stallion Hernando (by Niniski) is having an excellent run with his current crop of 3-year-olds, which include the English Oaks (gr. I) victress Look Here (A+ TrueNicks); Casual Conquest ((A+ TrueNicks), winner of Derrinstown Derby Trial (gr. II) and third in...

That under-appreciated Nijinsky II line stallion, Hernando (by Niniski), is having an excellent run with his current crop of three-year-olds, which include the English Oaks (gr. 1) victress Look Here (A+ TrueNick Rating); Casual Conquest (A+), winner of Derrinstown Derby Trial (gr. II) and third in the...