Etc. . . .

John Nichols Sr., a noted farrier and a former jockey and trainer who settled in Kentucky in the early 1970's, died Monday in Jeffersonville, Ind., at age 71. Nichols was the brother of the late jockey Jimmy Nichols and the father of Kentucky clocker John Nichols Jr. . . . Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron has joined the bloodstock consulting group Horse Power. McCarron, who recently moved from Southern California to Kentucky, will serve as a consultant on client development. . . . The Keeneland Association will not conduct a July yearling sale this year, Keeneland said Tuesday. The sale has been defunct since 2003, when Keeneland cited a small foal crop caused by mare reproductive loss syndrome in canceling. . . Ernie Paragallo's Paraneck operation will offer a $50,000 bonus to the breeders of the first stakes winners from the 1997 foal crop of his stallions Lord Ofthe Thunder and Song of the Sword - who will stand in 2006 at Fox Tale Stud in Cooopersburg, Pa. The stakes must be worth at least $50,000 and the foal a Pennsylvania-bred to qualify. . . . Utah-based Thoroughbred breeder David Plummer and his son Spencer have left the ClassicStar breeding and sales venture David Plummer co-founded with Tony Ferguson. ClassicStar, a major broodmare buyer at recent public auctions, has closed its Utah office and now is headquartered in Lexington, Ky.