What a wonderful, well-researched article! Although I don't use too many TBs in my program any more, I have a great fondness for them as a breed, which may spring from the decade + I spent on the TB racetracks here in the US. I was lucky enough to be a part of that world during one of the golden decades of horse racing -- I first went on the track just a year before Secretariat won the Belmont (was there that day!!) and saw such horses as Forego, Ruffian, Riva Ridge, Secretariat, Foolish Pleasure, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Alydar etc.

I don't know why people are surprised about what TBs have (and continue) to contribute to the making of a sport horse -- as a breed they have been bred longer and tested more rigorously than any other pure breed out there -- including Arabs! A good TB is an athlete with heart -- which means half your job is done for you.

While I know your emphasis was on 100% TBs, I'd like to give a vote to one of my favorite all time stallions -- Ramzes! He himself was an Anglo Arab, but his effect on WB breeding was phenomenal. He produced equally well as a jumper sire (for Holstein) and as a dressage sire (for Oldenburg & Westphalia) -- and on a international level in both cases. And his influence remains even into this current day. Not many sires can claim that!

I look forward to more of your articles.