Every sale catalogue page follows the same pattern, set by the international cataloguing standards. Once you know it, a page takes seconds to read.
The top of the page shows three or four generations: the sire and his sire and dam on the top half, the dam and her parents underneath. The dam's sire is called the damsire.
Horses in bold capitals won a black-type race: a Listed race or a Group (Graded) race. Horses in bold lower case were placed in one. This is the quickest guide to class.
Under 1st Dam you'll find the mare's own racing record, then each of her foals in order with what they achieved. This is the most direct evidence of all.
The same again for the grandmother and great-grandmother, listing their best produce. Black type here still counts, but further back means further from this foal.
Count how many of the dam's foals have run and how many have won. A mare whose runners usually win is worth more than one big name far back.
Note how far each black-type race was run. A family whose wins are all at 5f and 6f is a sprint family, whatever the sire suggests.
Catalogue details are supplied by the sales companies and their data providers, and the vendor is responsible for their accuracy. Always check the official catalogue for the latest updates.
Family evidence takes every black-type race won by the dam, her foals and the second and third dams' families, looks up its distance, and weighs closer relatives more heavily.
Dosage scores the influential stallions in four generations of the pedigree — the classic Roman–Miller method, calculated exactly as the leading pedigree databases publish it.
When we compared them across a 470-lot yearling sale, they agreed on fewer than half the lots. It pays to look at both, and to notice when they disagree.
Spotted something we've got wrong, or want a topic explained? We'd like to hear from you.