Northern Dancer Herd

Dansili, a very hot sire at the moment, has the Northern Dancer stallions, Danzig and Nijinsky 11 in his pedigree. This posting is about Flaring Top, Nijinsky 11's granddam and excellent Windfields foundation mare.

Flaring Top, 1947, was a winning daughter of Menow, from Flaming Top, by Omaha out of Firetop, by Man O'War. She was a sibling of the champion 2YO and 3YO filly, Doubledogdare, among others. She produced 11 foals, 11 runners, 11 winners, 4 SW.

Flaming Page, her daughter by Bull Page, won the Queen's Plate and Canadian Oaks, and ran second in the Kentucky Oaks. She gave us the great Nijinsky 11, SW and good Japanese sire, Minsky, and stakes placed Fleur, by Victoria Park. Flaming Page's broodmare career was ended at that point by a near fatal foaling episode. Although Flaming Page raced in Windfields colours, she actually was sold as a yearling, but returned due to some perceived defect. Such is destiny.

Fleur, Flaming Page's only daughter, produced three SW to the cover of Northern Dancer. These were English Horse of the Year, The Minstrel, Far North and Pilgrim. Her SW Majestic Prince daughter, Flower Princess, died after producing two foals by Northern Dancer.

Flaring Top gave us three foals by Windfields stallion, Tournoi. These were SW Top Tourn, who won 22 races, SW Quintain, who ran second to the excellent Victoria Park in the Queen's Plate, and Gleam, a filly who gave us SW Evening Bag.

There were two Menetrier foals from Flaring Top, Merry and Bright, a filly who produced Fanfaron, a SW colt by Victoria Park, and Flashing Top, a SW who placed with stakes colts and who produced three stakes placed colts, Arctic Flash (Nearctic), Vast Opportunity (Victoria Park) and Northern Flash (Northern Dancer).

Flaming Wind, a filly by Windfields-Flaring Top, gave us French Wind, a SW filly by Menetrier. Flaming Wind also produced the unraced mare, Flaming Issue, by Windfields stallion, Ace Marine. Flaming Issue was dam of the SW fillies, Dobbinton (New Providence) and Flamme d'Or (Champlain), and her daughter, Holiday Isle (New Providence) foaled SW Sandy Isle, a filly by Viceregal. Dobbinton gave us SW New Regent, by Vice Regent.

There were three offspring from Flaring Top by Victoria Park. One was Top Victory, a stakes placed winner; next was Flamatory, an allowance winning filly who died in the 1968 Windfields barn fire in Maryland which also claimed the life of Victoria Regina, dam of Viceregal and Vice Regent; and, finally, there was Flaming Victress.

Flaming Victress was the dam of SW All for Victory, by One for All, another Northern Dancer stallion. She also produced Flaming Tam, a mare by Tentam, who became the mother of Canadian 2YO filly champion, Phoenix Factor. Flaming Victress had two other daughters who are of note, Juana del Mar, dam of SW Rumpole and three stakes placed runners, and Polar Victress (Nearctic), producer of Cool Victor, by Tentam. From just 29 runners in 10 crops, Cool Victor sired 6 SW, most of whom won substantial amounts of purses racing in Canada and across the border. Apelia (over $600,000), Megas Vukefalos (over $800,000), Volterra (over $450,000), Debra's Victory (over $430,000), Victoriously Bold (over $390,000) and San Romano (over $160,000) complete the list.

Flaring Top's last foal, her daughter by Nearctic, Friendly Relations, was called "Topsy" by her yearling handlers. She was a better producer than runner, although she was a winner, as were all of Flaring Top's offspring. Her best runner was SW Viendra, who would produce SW Irish Forever. Her placed daughter, Elzevir, gave us SW Bellzevir (Aus-11). Her daughter, unplaced Timely Affair (Bold Hour), produced two SW, Morning Frolic (Grey Dawn 11) and Icy Time. Finally, Friendly Relations foaled Kindheartedness (Exclusive Native), a winner who gave us the SW and sire, Endow, by Flying Paster.

This all becomes one of the magic of E.P. Taylor stories about spending money on fillies from good families. The results here are clear, even though I may have missed a few names in the research.

Unbridled Sidney, a 5YO May 23 bay mare, by Unbridled's Song won the $285,000 Cherokee Run Breeders Cup H at 5 furlongs on turf at Churchill Downs on November 3, 2006, just a fraction off the track record. She defeated colts in the effort.

Her dam, the unraced Baltic Sea 1983, is by the Northern Dancer stallion, Danzig, from the twice unplaced Renounce, by Buckpasser - Bold Princess, by Bold Ruler from the amazing broodmare, Grey Flight. Baltic Sea was in the Windfields Farm broodmare band that was dispersed in November 1996 at Keeneland. She brought $250,000 while carrying the foal by Phone Trick who would become the bay gelding, Caller One.

Caller One had 10 wins from 28 starts and was Champion Older Male in the United Arab Emirates where he won the Dubai Golden Shaheen and other UAE stakes. He won over $3,200,000 in both the UAE and the United States. He was a $235,000 weanling, yet only a $100,000 yearling.

Subsequent to her sale, Baltic Sea's new owners bred her to better stallions than those she was matched up with in Ontario, and as a result, all her foals drew six figure prices at yearling sales which for the most part was not the case at Windfields. Her best offspring by far while at Windfields was Prospect Bay 1992, a bay colt by Crafty Prospector, a good son of Mr. Prospector. Prospect Bay won the A Phenomenon (GR-11) with a 123 Beyer Speed Figure, highest in 1996. He ran second in the True North (GR-11) and third in the Frank J DeFrancis Memorial Dash (GR-11). He was never unplaced with 4 wins in 7 starts. He sired 238 foals with little impact.

In addition to Baltic Sea, Renounce produced Waitlist, a SW colt who won almost $550,000 racing to nine years of age. She also gave us Arraign, who only placed at three, but foaled Cozzene's Prince, Champion Older Male in Canada and winner of over $1,200,000.

Renounce had another daughter with a Windfields connection; this is stakes placed Dowager Empress, by the Northern Dancer stallion, Vice Regent, and dam of SW Gillespie and SW Queen Isolt.

Baltic Sea's granddam, Bold Princess and her dam, Grey Flight, are awash in black type. Unbridled Sidney has now earned over $580,000 with 7 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds in 18 lifetime starts so far. She has raced from three to five, which makes sense given her late birthday.

Precious Kitten, a 3YO brown filly by the young Storm Cat stallion, Catienus, from Kitten's First, by Lear Fan, won the September 30, 2006 $100,000 Martha Washington Breeders Cup Stakes on turf at a mile and one sixteenth at Laurel.

Her dam, Kitten's First, is from the L'Enjoleur mare, That's My Hon, from One Lane by Prince John. That's My Hon was not a winner, but placed, and as a broodmare gave us the United Nations H (Gr-1T) millionaire winner, Down the Aisle, a grey son of Runaway Groom.

Kitten's First has produced three SW so far, starting with Justenuffheart, a filly by Broad Brush, already dam herself of two SW, Lewis Michael, and 2006 Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, Dreaming of Anna.

Kitten's First then produced champion turf male, Kitten's Joy, a chestnut son of El Prado. Ell Prado was the first son of his wonderful sire, Sadlers Wells, to begin to establish that stallion as a sire of sires in a major way. Kitten's Joy won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (Gr-1T), and the Secretariat (Gr-1T) among other races in his career, earning over $2,000,000 from 9 wins in 14 starts.

L'Enjoleur was royally bred, a son of Buckpasser out of Fanfreluche, by Northern Dancer from the Windfields bred mare, Ciboulette, by Chop Chop from Windy Answer, by Windfields - Reply. We examined the Reply family in depth a while ago. An April 23 1972 bay foal, with two white hinds, L'Enjoleur won half his 30 starts. He was Horse of the Year in Canada both years he raced. As a 2YO he set a track record in the Clarendon, and in the Cup and Saucer on turf. He equaled the track record that year in his most important American victory, the Laurel Futurity.

At three he won the Quebec Derby, the Manitoba Derby, the Queens Plate and the Prince of Wales (T), among other wins. That's My Hon may be his most important ongoing contribution to the breed. He did also sire Coax Me Chad, runner up to Swale in the Kentucky Derby.

Fanfreluche, with a star and two white hinds, was from Northern Dancer's second crop, as was Nijinsky 11. She won the Manitoba Derby and the Benson & Hedges against colts, and that great American race for fillies at Saratoga, the Alabama, as well as a multitude of other stakes against the girls, including the Natalma on turf. She placed second in the Spinster and third in the Gazelle, and was Canadian Horse of the Year in 1970, and champion 3YO filly in one of the American polls.

Fanfreluche produced four other SW right after L'Enjoleur, Grand Luxe, a filly by Sir Ivor; La Voyageuse, a mare by Tentam, and the two Secretariat colts, Medaille d'Or and D'Accord.

On June 25, 1977, Fanfreluche was kidnapped from her paddock at Claiborne Farm while in foal to Secretariat. She was not recovered until December 8 that year. Her colt foal would be named Sain et Sauf, which in French means ‘safe and sound'. He, along with the remainder of Fanfreluche's offspring would lack the flash on the racetrack her earlier foals demonstrated.

Meribel, a brown 3YO filly by Peaks and Valleys from Count to Six, by Saratoga Six won the $125,000 Valley View Stakes (Gr-111) at Keeneland on October 20, 2006. She won the mile and a sixteenth race by half a length over Precious Kitten, whom I will discuss in my next posting.

Peaks and Valleys is from a Green Dancer mare, Strike a Balance. Green Dancer was from the first crop of Windfields bred Nijinsky 11 and he was an important SW, siring 89 SW himself.

Count to Six was from the winning mare, Countess Aura, by Halo from Countess North, a Windfields bred SW daughter of Northern Dancer from Impetuous Lady. My October 7, 2006 posting was dedicated to Impetuous Lady and her family. Taking a look at it, I see that I never mentioned the name of the sire of Impetuous Lady's important stakes winner and producer, Impetuous Gal. Impetuous Gal, a half sister to Countess North, was by the Windfields stallion, Briartic, himself a good SW son of Nearctic.

Countess North gave us Gr-11 winner, Westheimer, by Blushing Groom. Countess Aura, from seven foals, had seven runners and seven winners, including stakes placed Victory Pose, by Crafty Prospector.

Count to Six, dam of Meribel, produced a SW son, Knox, by Menifee, a Storm Cat line stallion. Meribel, before the Valley View, had a stakes win on turf. As Precious Kitten had a graded stakes victory at the end of November, Meribel's class is underlined. This is not surprising, as she comes from class.

On October 7, 2006, the 2YO brown colt, Great Hunter, a son of Aptitude, from Zenith, by Roy, won the $500,000 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (Gr-1) at Keeneland. Behind him were Circular Quay and Street Sense, who would finish second and first in the Breeders Cup Juvenile (Gr-1 a month later). Great Hunter was third in that championship race.

Aptitude won two grade one stakes in his career, and ran second in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. He is a son of A P Indy, from the unraced Northern Dancer mare, Dokki, a daughter of Alluvial. Alluvial was also dam of the excellent runners, Coastal and Slew O'Gold.

Great Hunter's dam, Zenith, was a minor American SW, by the Fappiano stallion, Roy, sire of 118 SW from 999 foals, almost entirely in South America. Zenith's dam was Sequins, a winning daughter of the Northern Dancer stallion, Northern Fashion. Sequins would produce the SW In Out First, a winner of over $430,000, by Allen's Prospect.

Northern Fashion 1980, was a son of Fashionable Trick, an unraced daughter by Buckpasser from Fashion Verdict, by Court Martial from foundation mare, So Chic. Fashion Verdict became an important producer, especially through her daughter, The Garden Club. Northern Fashion was one of the best sons of Northern Dancer never to win a stakes race. At 3 and 4 in France, he was group three placed three times. At 5 in North America, he was grade two and grade three placed twice on turf. He sired only three SW from 131 foals. Although a disappointment at stud, he brings classy family to Great Hunter's pedigree.

The venerable gelding, Better Talk Now, won the $260,000 Sky Classic Stakes (Can-11T), 11 furlongs on turf at Woodbine on September 24, 2006. He is, by far, the most accomplished of his sire's runners, that sire being Talkin Man. Talkin Man now stands in Ireland, but he has Canadian connections in his family.

His sire, With Approval, was a Canadian Triple Crown winner, and Talkin Man is his best performer as a runner. Talkin Man won half of his ten starts; he was 2YO Canadian champion and set Kentucky Derby visions dancing in his owners' hearts when he easily won the Gotham and Wood Memorial Stakes in the spring of his 3YO year in New York.

Better Talk Now, now a 7YO, would finish a close second in the John Deere Breeders Cup Turf (Gr-1) this year, having won that race as a 5YO.

With Approval is a grandson of the Dancer mare, Cool Mood, whom we recently discussed in relation to the postings of the first crop of Northern Dancer. She was a good runner and an even better producer, as we saw. With Approval is at stud now in Europe.

Talkin Man is out of Pookette, a SW with a goofy name, who is dam of two SW. She is by Miswaki from Pensioner, who is also a SW. Pookette is Pensioner's sole stakes winner; all of Pensioner's four runners from five foals were winners. Pensioner is by Irish Stronghold from Stone Cottage.

We saw Stone Cottage in the posting, "Go Ballistic" of September 25. Ballistic, a daughter of Nearctic, is Stone Cottage's dam, to the cover of the Windfields Canadian Triple Crown winner, New Providence. New Providence is found in the female family of Taylor-bred Storm Bird. In my earlier posting, I was discussing SW Sea Siren, winner of this year's Arlington Matron Hdcp. Sea Siren is a daughter of the Storm Cat stallion, Stormy Atlantic, from Spend It On Mom, who is a daughter of the Lyphard mare, Lady O'Lyph. Lady O'Lyph is a daughter of Stone Cottage.

Storm Bird, grandsire of Stormy Atlantic, and Stone Cottage give Sea Siren a double dose of New Providence.

We expand the story by considering the Pensioner branch of the Ballistic family - Talkin Man, Better Talk Now.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that a 2YO half sister to Arc winner, Bago, named Beta had been stakes placed in Europe. I wondered if she might be on her way to a stakes win. Well she was. On October 9, 2006, Beta won the $60,000 Criterium de Vitesse, on soft going at 5 furlongs. She is by Selkirk from Moonlight's Box, by Nureyev-Coup de Genie, by Mr. Prospector-Coup de Folie, by Halo from Windfields bred Raise the Standard, by Hoist the Flag from Natalma, dam of the Dancer.

Coup de Genie was a good racehorse and producer, and a full sister to the good runner and sire, Machiavellian

Machiavellian is emerging as a sire of sires. His son, Medicean, 1997, twice an Eng-1 winner, has sired two group one winners, one each from his first two crops. The 2005 Meon Valley Stud Fillies Mile (Eng-1) went to his then 2YO daughter, Nannina. In 2006, Medicean has out the undefeated chestnut 2YO colt, Dutch Art, winner of a Gr-1 race in both England and France.

Machiavellian's son, Street Cry, whose first foals are 2YOs of 2006, has given us Street Sense, who demolished the field in the Breeders Cup Juvenile on November 4 this year. Street Sense's dam, Bedazzle, is by the Dancer stallion, and good broodmare sire, Dixieland Band. Street Sense thus becomes the latest star from the Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer cross. Medicean represents that cross as well, as his SW dam, Mystic Goddess, is by the Taylor bred Dancer stallion, Storm Bird.

Yet another of the cross, Desert Lord, 2000, won the October 1, 2006 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Majestic Barriere (Fr-1), for his first stakes win, coming at the ripe old age of six. He's by Green Desert, by the Northern Dancer stallion, Danzig, from Red Carnival by Mr. Prospector from Seaside Attraction by Seattle Slew from Kamar. We've seen this excellent family before, as Kamar is a Windfields bred granddaughter of the Nearctic mare, Nangela, also a Taylor bred. Both the Mr. Prospector/Dancer cross and the Nearctic/Dancer one are here.

Red Carnival died after foaling three foals, all of whom now are SW. The earlier two were Carnival Dancer, a colt by Sadlers Wells, and Funfair, a gelding by Singspiel. All three of the foals are from the Northern Dancer sire line, and thus represent the cross we come across every time one turns around.

The $130,000 Durham Cup Stakes (Can-111) was run at Woodbine over nine furlongs on October 14, 2006. The winner was a Kentucky bred named Barracuda Boy, a 5YO brown gelding winning his first stakes race. He is a son of Unbridled's Song from Bucquestor, by Norquestor from Buckarette, by Buckaroo. Norquestor was a Windfields Farm bred son of Belmont Stakes winner, Conquistador Cielo from Linda North, by Northern Dancer out of Lindaria.

Lindaria, a daughter of Sea Bird from Wendasy, is a half-sister to Northern Bay, a SW colt who was a member of Northern Dancer's first crop, as we saw recently.

Linda North, 1979, was purchased as a yearling by E.P. Taylor. Racing for Windfields, she won four minor American stakes with placings in three others over two years of racing. Her first three living foals were stakes runners.

Her first, Sport Royal, 1984, a winning son of Secretariat, ran third in three stakes, the most important being the Lawrence Realization (Gr-11) In 1986, Linda North produced Norquestor, as mentioned, who had nine wins from eighteen starts, and earnings of over $550,000. He won the Grade one Pegasus H and ran second in the Grade one Meadowlands Cup H among his eight stakes wins or placings.

Among Norquestor's initial foals were the Gr-11 Rampart H winning filly, Chip, and other SW fillies Norstep, Requesting More and Norquestress. Bucquestor was also a SW. SW colts included Frio River, Sam's Quest, Banquest and Starquestor. None of these would make a strong impact over time.

Linda North's next foal was SW Majesterian, 1988, a brown colt by Pleasant Colony. He won the Col. R.S. Mclaughlin S at Woodbine and ran third in two Grade two stakes as well. Linda North's next three offspring were winners by good stallions: Landing North, a filly by Vanlandingham, Wesnorth, a colt by Gone West, and Muzrak, a colt by Forty Niner.

Linda North remained a member of the Windfields Farm broodmare band up until the farm's complete dispersal in 1996. Probably the most important producer sold among the mares of that group was La Lorgnette, champion 3YO filly in Canada in 1985, when she won the Canadian Oaks and the Queen's Plate. After being sold, this mare would produce the excellent British miler, Hawk Wing, to the cover of Woodman, a mating which would reproduce the legendary Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer cross. La Lorgnette was from The Temptress, by the Northern Dancer stallion, Nijinsky 11, Woodman, and Conquistador Cielo, for that matter, were by Mr. Prospector.

Let's have some Northern Dancer fun with the results of the 2006 Breeders Cup.

It's time to salute the performance of Northern Dancer stallion, Lyphard, in the Breeders Cup Classic over the last seven years.

In 2006, we have the winner, Invasor, by Candy Stripes, who is out of Bubble Company, who is by Lyphard. In 2005, we had the ill-fated Saint Liam, by Saint Ballado, a Windfields bred stallion, also victim of an early death, out of Quiet Dance, who is out of Misty Dancer, by Lyphard. In 2003, we had Pleasantly Perfect, who is out of Regal State, who is out of La Trinite, by Lyphard. In 2000/2001, we had Tiznow, by Cee's Tizzy, who is out of Tizly, by Lyphard. Note it is the Lyphard mares who are carrying the torch.

In the Breeders Cup Turf 2006, we have the winner, Red Rocks, with two crosses of Northern Dancer. He is by European champion 3YO male, Galileo, who is emerging as a good sire, and who is a son of the magnificent Dancer stallion, Sadler's Wells, sire up to the moment of 275 SW. With El Prado and Montjeu, Sadler's Wells is finally getting a reputation as a sire of sires. Red Rocks is out of Pharmacist, who is out of Pharaoh's Delight, a champion older mare in Ireland who is by Fairy King, sire of 75 SW, a one start, once unplaced full brother to Sadler's Wells.

In the Breeders Cup Distaff, we have three crosses of the Dancer. Here there is another set of full brothers, Viceregal and Vice Regent. The winner, Round Pond, is by Awesome Again, by Deputy Minister, by Vice Regent. Round Pond is out of Gift of Dance, by Trempolino, who is out of Trephine, by Viceregal. Gift of Dance is out of Coral Dance, by Green Dancer, by Dancer stallion, Windfields bred Nijinsky 11.

In the Breeders Cup Mile, we have two crosses of the Dancer. Winner, Miesque's Approval, is by Miesque's Son, who is out of Miesque, by Nureyev, by Northern Dancer. Miesque's Approval is out of Win Approval, by With Approval, who is out of Passing Mood, who is out of Cool Mood, by Northern Dancer.

In the Breeder's Cup Sprint, there are again two crosses of the Dancer. Winner, Thor's Echo, is by Swiss Yodeler, who is by Eastern Echo, who is out of Wild Applause, by Northern Dancer. Thor's Echo is out of Helen of Troy, by Mr. Integrity, who is out of Balletomane, by Nijinsky 11. Note also that Helen of Troy is out of King's Thunder, by Time to Explode, by Explodent, by Nearctic, the Dancer's sire.

In the Filly and Mare Turf, the winner, Ouija Board, is by Cape Cross, by Green Desert, by Danzig, by Northern Dancer.

In the Juvenile, the winner, Street Sense is out of Bedazzle, by Dixieland Band, by Northern Dancer

In the Juvenile Fillies, the winner, Dreaming of Anna, is out of Justenuffheart, who is out of Kitten's First, who is out of That's My Hon, by L'Enjoleur. This stallion was a Canadian champion, out of another Canadian champion, Fanfreluche, by the Dancer. Note that Dreaming of Anna is by Rahy, a son of Windfields bred champion mare, Glorious Song.

An untold story of the success saga of Nearctic is the tale of his twin chestnut daughters, Roundy's Lass and Susandra. They were foals of his second crop in 1962, and were out of a mare named Roundency, a daughter of the Canadian stallion, Rounders, from Cadency, by Heather Broom. Twins are normally seen as bad news in the breeding business, but these two were quite the broodmares.

Both were unraced. Roundy's Lass's first foal, Roundy's Kid, was a brown filly by Maxinkuckee, a stallion at stud in Western Canada. Roundy's Kid became a champion 2YO in the west, and among her foals were two Sws, both geldings, Little John Brown, and My Son John.

Roundy's Lass's second foal, Flying Award, a chestnut gelding also by Maxinkuckee, was an iron horse, winning or placing in 13 stakes and racing until he was a 10YO, with over 90 starts.

The next Maxinkuckee offspring was Timber Topper, a brown gelding who raced into his 7^th year, winning or placing in 20 stakes. He earned about $90,000, a large amount for western Canada.

Forestry, the next offspring of Roundy's Lass by Maxinkuckee, was "only" stakes placed, racing into his seventh year, also a gelding.

There were three more Maxinkuckee foals from this mare: Diamond Hostess, a chestnut filly who would only place at two, Roundy's Ember, a bay filly who was a stakes-placed winner, and, finally, Timber Tramp, a chestnut gelding, who would only win a maiden. Roundy's Lass's producing energy had run out.

Her sister, Susandra, was located in Ontario. Her first foal, 1966, was Churchill Falls, a chestnut gelding with a blaze and a left white hind, sired by Intent, and purchased as a yearling for $8,000. He won 17 races in about 90 starts, until at least a 6YO.

Next came Middle Sue Escar, another chestnut gelding by Middle Brother, who became a SW in the west, but who placed in important Ontario stakes, including on grass. He cost $5,000, earned about $65,000 and raced until at least six, starting over 90 times.

The next named foal, Fabiusand, was a bay gelding by Fabius, with a star on his face. He earned about $90,000, racing 130 times to the age of at least eight. Racehorses obviously raced a lot more often in the sixties and seventies than they do now. Where did the soundness and durability come from? Or, perhaps more to the point, where did it go?

The next Susandra foal, Alynkyle, a chestnut gelding by Jean Pierre, was purchased for $19,000, and earned about $38,000, winning 6 races in about 60 starts.

Next, Starry Sue, a bay filly by Pia Star, was sent to Japan in 1977 after 3 wins in two years of racing.

The last foal of Susandra that I know of is Foreign Control, a roan colt by Al Hattab. He was a $54,000 yearling, and a winner of 4 races as a 3YO, including the $20,000 Fairbanks Stakes in Ontario. I don't believe he earned back his purchase price.

I wonder if there exists another set of twins who produced such a healthy return for their owners' decision to keep them around. One is particularly impressed by the soundness of the bunch.