Do you take pedigree into account?

[Thunder Gulch]

Pedigree figures in my handicapping prominently for lightly raced horses and surface/ distance changes. Other than those specific situations, I give it only a glance.

I know too much about genetics to see the horrible fallacies associated with pedigree handicapping. If someday the horse genome is mapped and we got genes associated with particular traits that we know aid running ability in someway, then I would be more comfortable. Otherwise, crapshoot. You got to look at a horse doing what they are supposed to do, RUN. You dont need to know what granmammy did on the track unless you are desperate.

Again I believe this is a British Royality hold over pile o crap. My daddy was a Duke. So what.

[Pedigree Ann]

So if you see a first time starter, you don't check whether his sire gets a high percentage of first out winners or not? You don't care if he is by Carson City (18% first out, speed sire) or by Deputy Commander (4% first out, distance sire)? . I am a statistician and understand that for all the breed's variability, different strains of the breed have well-defined proclivities, as reflected in accumlated statistics. If you have a Meadowlake out of a Mt. Livermore mare you will expect a precocious, speedy sprinter/miler; a Kingmambo out of a Lord at War mare would be expected to excell over a distance of ground, probably on turf, and likely to be later maturing.

[Linny]

Any time a horse is asked to do something new, I look at pedigree. Certain stallions seem to sire horses with a distinct set of talents. Mud, grass, "win early", route abilities all seem to be carried by sires. Does every Carson City love mud? Nope. But the odds are better that a CC will mud than many other sires.