Distorted Humor

In racing, the advent of spring doesn't just mean delightful weather and foals capering through fields. It also means a multiplication of the number of graded events across the nation. The month of March boasted more graded races in the U.S. than January and February combined. With GI Kentucky Derby and Oaks preps in full swing, top older campaigners returning from winter breaks, and 2-year-old racing just around the corner, it's an exciting time in the sport. We took a look at trends and notable items from the country's graded...

Maybe starting my Breeding Digest on Monday mornings is not such a good plan. The dust may by then be settling on the racing weekend, but by the look of it, perhaps I need a little longer to recover from my own, somewhat less wholesome exertions! How else do I account for failing to include the principal guarantor of Distorted Humor's male line, Maclean's Music, alongside my reflections on his burgeoning legacy as a broodmare sire? Maclean's Music has three young sons at stud in Kentucky, in Jackie's Warrior, Drain...

A week after we saluted the impact of his daughters on the GI Kentucky Derby trail, suddenly Tapit might also have found a colt to redress the one glaring omission on his resume. At the same time, the emergence of Sandman also contributes to a remarkable reciprocation by a still more venerable distaff influence. Tapit mares having produced American Promise, Tiztastic and Final Gambit across consecutive weekends, Distorted Humor is plainly not to be outdone. Both the big winners last Saturday were out of daughters of the WinStar legend; moreover...

Cornucopian (c, 3, Into Mischief--Magical World, by Distorted Humor) left his backers in little doubt on this unveiling, running his competition off their feet and on to 'TDN Rising Stardom'. Away quickly from the gates, the son of the venerable Into Mischief flashed good early foot as the 3-5 favorite and sailed along through :21.86 and :45.50 splits while 34-1 longshot Oil Capital (Maclean's Music) tried to make a race of it. Hounded relentlessly by that one going into the bend, he was well in control coming into the home...

Whether you consider it just a random squeaking of the hamster wheel, or evidence of some latent order awaiting our discovery, these Thoroughbreds certainly know how to make us stop and think about the strange operation of life. Last Friday it was announced that Miss Macy Sue (Trippi) had died at 22. The very next day, her son Liam's Map produced a Derby contender in GIII Holy Bull Stakes winner Burnham Square. The 20 starting points banked there, moreover, matched those earned two weeks previously in the GIII Lecomte Stakes...

Grade I winner 'TDN Rising Star' Doppelganger (Into Mischief) was represented by his first foal, a filly out of Saucy Dame (Distorted Humor), at David Perrine's Perrine Time Thoroughbreds Friday morning, announced Pleasant Acres Stallions via a press release. The filly was born 9:30 a.m. and is reportedly healthy and strong. Described as 'blessed with exceptional bloodlines' by Christine Jones, the director of stallion services, the foal is out of a winning half-sister to MSW & GSP Stormy West (Gone West) and GSW Buffum (Bernardini). Another of the dam's half-sisters,...

1st-GP, $65k, Msw, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 12:00p.m. ET Sumdge (Quality Road) debuts in Florida on Breeders' Cup Saturday, tabbed at 4-1 odds on the morning line for owner D J Stable and trainer Mark Casse. Sold at KEESEP in 2023 for $525,000, she is a half-sister to the ill-fated GISW Mongolian Groom (Hightail) as well as five-time winner Ice Bar (Keen Ice) and one other winner. Dam Bourbonesque (Dynaformer) is a half-sister to SP Cologne (Horse Chestnut {SAf}), who is the dam of MGSW Dragon Bay (Parading). The is...

On a weekend of stellar 2-year-old racing with a plethora of Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' berths on the line, Citizen Bull (c, 2, Into Mischief--No Joke, by Distorted Humor) closed out Saturday's graded action with victory in the GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. He earned a fees-paid entry to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and gave his trainer, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, a 13th win in the American Pharoah, which had previously been branded both the Frontrunner Stakes and Norfolk Stakes at different times. Winning...

Charles "Nucks" Nuckols III, owner of Nuckols Farm, passed away Sept. 21. He was 78. He is survived by his wife; Mary Jane; his son, Charlie Nuckols IV and partner Amanda Reardon; his son, Thomas Hunter Nuckols and spouse Stacey, grandchildren, Claire Alexandra and Thomas Elliott; his daughter Mary Dunlap and spouse Zachary Armgard, grandchildren, Bruce Ryker and Ashford Henry. He was preceded in death by Hetty Nuckols Gross, and survived by Judy Nuckols Offutt, and Jimmy Nuckols. "Nucks" alongside his father bred and produced several champions including Mr. Leader,...

Bidding is now open for the Masterson Equestrian Trust's 20th Anniversary Auction, supporting equestrian green space in the Lexington, Kentucky area. Now in its 20th year, MET is a 501c3 nonprofit aimed at preserving and protecting Masterson Station Park as an equestrian facility from development and repurposing. Items up for auction include halters worn by Justify, Tiznow, Distorted Humor and Tapit; lessons with top equestrian teachers; photo sessions; a box to the Blue Grass Stakes; a tailgate spot to the Defender 3-Day Event, and dozens of equine-related gifts and products....

Zetta Z (Bernardini), dam of Saturday's dominating GIII Robert B. Lewis winner 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist), has been added to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale to go through the ring Tuesday, Feb. 6, announced the auction house via press release Sunday. Catalogued as HIP 536 and offered by Grovendale Sales as agent, she is in-foal to multiple Grade I-winning Cyberknife. In addition to Nysos, Zetta Z is also the dam of SP Attabe (Distorted Humor) as well as a 2-year-old filly by Street Sense and a yearling colt...

Rhyme Schemes (c, 3, Ghostzapper--Katherine, by Distorted Humor), sidelined since posting a jaw-dropping, 9 1/2-length victory for trainer Norm Casse in last summer's GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 12, is being aimed at a late spring/early summer return to the races. The Pura Vida Investments LLC colorbearer is currently laid up with Gabriel "Spider" Duignan at Springhouse Farm in Kentucky and could resume light training in March. "He's doing great," Pura Vida's managing partner Deuce Greathouse said. "He wasn't going to make the Derby preps, so we decided to give...