Northern Dancer Herd

A while back, I highlighted a new, bright light in the European 2YO scene in 2006, that being Holy Roman Emperor, a son of Danehill. He traced back to Reply, a blue hen mare owned by E.P. Taylor, as was most of her family. Well, Holy Roman Emperor just got himself defeated, as heavy favorite, running second in the Laing O'Rourke National Stakes (IRE 1), at seven furlongs. He was bested by Teofilo, a member of the second crop of Galileo, a champion runner who won both the English and Irish Derbies, and who was a son of the Northern Dancer stallion, Sadlers Wells. Teofilo's dam, Speirbhean, by Danehill, traces back to another important broodmare, Compensate, also owned by Windfields Farm decades ago.

Compensate was an unraced daughter of Reaping Reward - Niblick 11, by Fairway - Quick Rise, by Hurry On - Pompadour, by Bayardo. Pompadour was a stakes winner who ran third in the 1000 Guineas. She became dam of Cragadour, a SW who ran second in the 2000 Guineas, and third in the Irish Derby.

Compensate became the dam of Censor, a Taylor-bred son of Bull Page, who set track records in sprint stakes, yet also won at very much longer stakes distances. She also gave us stakes winning Dress Circle, a daughter who won the Plate Trial. Compensate's most important producing daughter was Willow Lake, 1955, by Windfields, another Taylor stallion. Willow Lake won at two and three and was stakes placed in the latter year. She quickly produced SW Miss Snow Goose, by Nearctic. This filly was a track record setter, whose form faded after a quick start. Willow Lake also gave us stakes-placed Muskeg, a colt by Bull Page, who once equaled a track record himself.

On February 26, 1965, Willow Lake foaled Willowfield, who would be unraced, a daughter of Taylor-owned stallion, Stratus. He was by Nimbus - Straight Offer, by Straight Deal. Stratus, a chestnut, won multiple stakes in Britain, then won marathon stakes in the USA, in one of them setting a NTR for a mile and a half. In general, Stratus was a failure at stud, although he now appears way back in Teofilo's family.

On May 15, 1970, from Taylor-bred stallion and champion runner, Victorian Era's second crop, came Victorian Prince, a star-faced brown son of Willow Lake. He was sold as a yearling, and won the $130,000 Arlington H.. He equaled a track record in the Lakeside H T, also in the USA. He won six stakes in all and was Canadian champion older horse and grass horse, both in 1976. He was also a horse known for finishing second, placing there in stakes thirteen times during his six year career. Interestingly, he ran third in a stakes only once. Victorian Era was by Victoria Park.

Willowfield's second foal, a bay filly, blaze-faced, was Victorian Queen. She was by Victoria Park, champion runner and good stallion, owned, of course, by Taylor. Victorian Queen was Canada's champion mare in 1975. She equaled a course record in an Ontario stake called the Canadian Hdcp. She had stakes placings in important American filly and mare stakes. She won two stakes, but ran second in nine others. Most important for our story, she is the great granddam of Teofilo.

Willow Lake foaled full sibling fillies by Northern Dancer in 1968 and 1969. The first, Northern Willow, could only place once fourth in four starts at two, and was retired by Taylor. Her sister, Northern Lake, was unraced. We will check out their important produce records next time.

"Canadian-bred Colt Registers Easy Win" went one headline. Owner E.P. Taylor said Northern Dancer was pretty well a sure thing to run in the Belmont despite trainer Luro's reservations. "We've come too far not to try for the triple", Taylor commented. He also said that the Queen's Plate was on the agenda, so the Canadian public could see him.

Northern Dancer ran the mile and three sixteenths in 1:56 and four on a deep and holding track. He won by two and one-quarter lengths. Hartack said, "I had a laboring horse under me at the end, but the others were also tiring in the deep track". Shoemaker commented, "This time I got beat legit. I had no excuse whatsoever. We had a good position on the backstretch and couldn't keep up with Northern Dancer then. Then Hill Rise moved when I asked him, and we had another shot at him, but we just couldn't stay with the top horse. He's just the best, that's all". He admitted he'd made the wrong choice in choosing Hill Rise.

Braulio Baeza aboard Quadrangle was asked if his horse had any trouble. "We all have wan beeg trobble. The beeg trobble was that we could not keep opp with that Canadian. We could not handle him. Other than that, my horse had no trobble".

Hartack felt his battles with Hill Rise throughout the race did tire Northern Dancer, but they tired Hill Rise more. He said that the Dancer "gives a rider great confidence. He runs kindly, and responds when you want him to. Some horses, when you push the Go button, they just don't go. But he goes. This horse is an agile and free-running short strider. He gives you his run when you ask for it. He is willing and game, and I don't think he'll come up empty in the Belmont".

Hill Rise was 4-5, Northern Dancer 2-1, when they entered the starting gate for the Preakness.

Northern Dancer, away in good order, dropped back slightly while racing outside Big Pete and Quadrangle on the first turn, remained within easy striking distance, however and easily raced past Quadrangle to take a short command racing to the half mile post. He was then taken under stout restraint to midway the final turn where he quickly shook off a challenge by Hill Rise to establish a commanding lead, withstood left-handed punishment from the stretch turn into the final furlong, then continued strongly under steady hand urging.

The Scoundrel broke slightly slower than Northern Dancer and Hill Rise and was taken in hand when threatened with being crowded between them in the opening yards, raced along evenly for six furlongs, came out slightly to challenge on the final turn and closed resolutely outside Hill Rise to best that rival in the final yards.

Hill Rise, unable to keep up while racing outside three rivals around the first turn, raced to Northern Dancer along the outside without need of pressure in the backstretch, drew within a half length of Northern Dancer when given his head midway of the turn but could not stay with the winner and gave way to The Scoundrel while continuing evenly through the stretch.

Quadrangle vied for command from the beginning while in hand, assumed a brief lead between rivals in the early backstretch, could not stay with Northern Dancer and Hill Rise entering the far turn, but saved ground and held on well.

Roman Brother was in hand while racing in the clear behind the field, remained along the inside and rallied only slightly.

Big Pete could not keep up along the inside through the backstretch and, tiring, dropped far back after six furlongs.

Preakness was originally spelled "Pro-qua-las" by the Minisi Indians and meant "Quail Woods". That's one story. Another said the race was named after a horse called Preakness that was shot dead by an irate owner.

After the Derby, Mr. Brick won the mile $60,000 Withers Stakes, defeating National by four lengths at Aqueduct. Knightly Manner won the Preakness Prep over Big Pete. The Scoundrel worked a mile in 1:38 and one, Northern Dancer a mile in 1:42 and three, Roman Brother in 1:41 and one. Quadrangle went five furlongs in 1:01 and one.

Big Pete was entered in the Preakness and expected to set the pace. He had won seven of his ten races by going to the lead and hanging on. Hill Rise worked his mile in 1:40 and one and galloped out nine furlongs in 1:54 and one. He was made the early favorite at 7-5; Northern Dancer was rated 2-1, The Scoundrel 4-1, Roman Brother and Quadrangle 8-1 and Big Pete 20-1.

Luro gave officials several anxious minutes at the nomination ceremony for the race. There were just three minutes to the 10:00 a.m. deadline when Northern Dancer's trainer tossed in his name. The pole positions from the rail out were Big Pete, Roman Brother, Quadrangle, Northern Dancer, The Scoundrel and Hill Rise. The distracted Luro delayed, he said, because he had to work the Dancer two miles with the last half in around 55 seconds. He strolled into the secretary's office with three minutes to spare and chatted with friends until he was reminded to enter the booth or be shut out. He just made it. Officials were pacing the floor.

Since 1948, only two Derby winners had repeated in the Preakness, Tim Tam in 1958, and Carry Back in 1961. A journalist wrote, "Northern Dancer may have won the Kentucky Derby but the big noise in Baltimore is being made by Hill Rise and The Scoundrel". A Chicago writer, when he saw the Dancer in the flesh, said, "This has got to be an imposter. A colt that size couldn't do what he has done". Luro, when asked if Northern Dancer was mean, said, "he just likes to have fun. He's taken my shirt off and my pants, but what's the difference as long as he is paying for it, eh?"

Hill Rise's groom played a radio to keep him calm. It was estimated Hill Rise ran the last quarter in the Derby in 23 and two, or three, depending on the source.

1. Sea Siren, a 4YO bay filly, by Stormy Atlantic-Spend It On Mom, by Spend A Buck, won the $150,000 Arlington Matron Hdcp (GR111) at Arlington on September 2, 2006. She won the nine furlong event by four lengths. Stormy Atlantic is a son of Storm Cat from the female family of Moccasin, and thus of mighty stallions, Sadlers Wells and Nureyev, both sons of Northern Dancer.

Spend It On Mom is out of Lady O'Lyph, an unraced chestnut daughter of the Dancer stallion, Lyphard. Lady O'Lyph's dam is Stone Cottage, a Canadian bred daughter of Taylor stallion, New Providence, a Canadian Triple Crown winner who also sired Windfields bred South Ocean. This important mare was dam of the influential Northern Dancer stallion, Storm Bird, grandsire of Stormy Atlantic.

Stone Cottage's dam was Ballistic, a winning daughter of Nearctic from Bolaris, by Fairaris-Bold Fay, by Bull Dog. Ballistic was a member of Nearctic's second crop, foals of 1962. Her full sister, Nearis, (1964) was fourth in her only start. She became the dam of Canadian Horse of the Year, Kennedy Road, by Victoria Park, who won important stakes both in Canada and in the States.

Ballistic's first foal was Mildenhall, a gelded son of Taylor stallion, Victoria Park, and thus bred along the line that would produce Kennedy Road later. Mildenhall raced from two to nine years of age. Ballistic's second foal, the star faced gelding, Gallant Glen, was by Gallant Man. He won stakes on dirt and turf.

Ballistic's daughter, Stone Cottage, was a May 28 foal. She was stakes-placed at two on turf. Ballistic was sent to Ireland in 1973, bred to Arc winner Sassafras, foaled a blaze-faced chestnut daughter there named Glenaris in 1974, and then reimported with her foal. Glenaris won the $100,000 Hollywood Oaks on dirt in 1977. She also won and placed in turf stakes.

Nearis' first foal after Kennedy Road was a full sister, Petrologist, who was unplaced in three starts. She foaled Coup de Chance, a colt by Tentam who won stakes on dirt and turf. Nearis foaled another full sibling by Victoria Park, named Markham Towne, a gelding with calcium deposit problems. In 1973, while in foal to Sir Ivor in Kentucky, Nearis was killed by lightning.

Sea Siren has the cross, through Ballistic (Nearctic) and two doses of Northern Dancer, Lyphard and Storm Bird.

2. On September 4, 2006, Spellbinder, a 5YO dk.b./br horse, won the $150,000 Berkeley Hdcp (GR111) at Golden Gate Fields in 1:43.07 for eight and one half furlongs. He was by Tale of the Cat from Thorough Fair, by Quiet American. Can you see the cross emerging? Tale of the Cat is by Storm Cat from a granddaughter of State, a Nijinsky 11 blue hen. Quiet American provides the Nearctic connection through his granddam, Quiet Charm. There are two strands of Northern Dancer, Nijinsky 11 and Storm Bird, sire of Storm Cat.

1. It's a bit unsettling how often I realize that the Nearctic/Northern Dancer cross is at work in a horse's pedigree. I don't believe I've mentioned before that the good Canadian-bred runner and sire, Langfuhr, by Danzig from Sweet Briar Too, by Briartic, fits the pattern. Danzig is by Northern Dancer, while the star-faced, chestnut battler, Briartic, is by Nearctic from Sweet Lady Briar, by Round Table. Briartic stood at Windfields Farm and sired 22 Sws. He started 63 times from two to six, winning seven stakes, including a track record equaling performance in the Lakes and Flowers Stakes in the USA. He finished a nose behind the winner in track record time in the Longacres Mile among his eight stakes placings, on dirt and turf.

2. Roving Angel, a dk b/br 4YO filly won the August 19, 2006, C$100,000 Belle Mahone Stakes, one of Woodbine's most venerable stakes for fillies and mares. Her sire, Cape Canaveral, was a graded stakes winner by Mr. Prospector from Seaside Attraction, by Seattle Slew-Kamar, by Key to the Mint. This is the great Windfields Farm broodmare, Nangela's family, she being by Nearctic from Angela's Niece, by Tim Tam. Roving Angel's dam, Angelinahalo, was by Halo from Ballet Troupe, a winner of over $60,000 by the Northern Dancer stallion, Nureyev. With Nureyev and Nangela, we have the cross yet another time.

3. Mea Domina, a 5YO bay mare by Dance Brightly-Madame Pandit, by Wild Again, won the $150,000 Palomar Breeders Cup Handicap (GR11T) at Del Mar on September 2, 2006. Wild Again, upset winner of the first Breeders Cup Classic, is by Icecapade who, like Northern Dancer, was by Nearctic from a Native Dancer mare. In Icecapade's case, his dam was Shenanigans, dam also of the great Ruffian.

Dance Brightly, a son of Mr. Prospector, won his first start, then ran a close second in Woodbine's most important race for 2YOs, the Coronation Futurity. He was injured and never raced again. He was his dam, Dance Smartly's first foal to get to the races. Her first foal, a colt by Pleasant Colony, was kicked by another mare in his paddock as a baby and had to be put down. Dance Smartly, a daughter of Danzig, had an undefeated 3YO season, including the Canadian Triple Crown, on dirt and turf, and the Breeders Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs in 1991. Icecapade (Nearctic), Danzig (Northern Dancer), the cross yet again.

The cover of the July 8 issue of The Blood Horse described her as an American beauty and she surely is. On July 2, 2006, at Hollywood Park, a magnificent grey/roan filly, Wait a While, romped home in the $750,000 American Oaks Presented by American Airlines (Gr.1T), a ten furlong event which she ran in 1:59.38. She is by Maria's Mon-Flirtatious, by A.P. Indy-Grand Charmer, by Lord Avie-Regal Feelings, by Clever Trick from Sharp Belle. Sharp Belle is where the fun begins for Northern Dancer fans.

Sharp Belle, 1975, was a grey/roan daughter of Native Charger; she won the grade one Monmouth Oaks among other stakes placings. Her dam was the unraced Sleek Dancer, a mare by Northern Dancer from Victorine, by My Babu-Pandora, by Unbreakable. Breeding Sharp Belle to Clever Trick, a son of Icecapade, who was by Nearctic, gives us that Nearctic/Northern Dancer cross which we have seen to be so productive. Sleek Dancer, 1968, was from the Dancer's third crop. She sold for $11,000 as a yearling, then for $250,000 as a broodmare.

Her immediate foal after Sharp Belle was the Florida-bred stakes winning son of Mr. Prospector, Northern Prospect. We will look at his stud career shortly, but Sleek Dancer was not finished as a stakes producer. Sue Babe, 1978, her bay filly by Mr. Prospector, became a stakes winner at two as well as grade one placed.

Sue Babe became the dam of Budweiser Irish Derby (Gr.1) winner, Sir Harry Lewis, by the mighty Alleged, and the stakes winning, grade 1 placed Sir Richard Lewis, winner of over $440,000. Sue Babe's only non-winning foal, Champagne Babe, by Alleged, became the dam of graded SW and Gr.1 placed Champagneforashley, a New-York bred.

Sleek Belle, 1972, Sleek Dancer's first foal, by Vaguely Noble, gave us Sws Chic Belle and Sleek Gold, as well as graded stakes winner, Witwatersrand. Turning back to Northern Prospect, his best son, Fortunate Prospect, a winner of about $440,000 sired the full siblings, Suave Prospect, a colt, and Successful Dancer, a filly. Their dam was Debonair Dancer, by the unraced Northern Dancer stallion, Staff Writer. More on him in a bit. Suave Prospect was a graded SW and Gr.1 placed. He is a useful sire in New Mexico, his offspring regularly winning about $2,000,000 per year.

Successful Dancer is dam of Successful Appeal, by the excellent stallion Valid Appeal. Successful Appeal was a Gr.11 level winner with Gr.1 placing. In 2004, when his first crop got to the races, he led the 2YO sire list with earnings that were second only to the great Danzig historically. Successful Appeal's best runner to date was from that first crop; this was Kentucky Derby runner up, Closing Argument.

A note on Staff Writer. His dam, Twill, was unplaced in one start, but she was by the great Swaps from Quill, a champion 2YO filly in her day. To the cover of Northern Dancer, in his first crop, we got One for All, from Quill, a colt who was unplaced in four starts at two, but turned into a stakes-winning little dynamo later on on the grass. Twill also became granddam of Sumptious, grade one winner of the Arlington Classic.

Getting back to Sleek Dancer through Wait a While, it is fun to see one name in a pedigree open us up to so much accomplishment.

Horatio Luro thought that the Triple Crown was not as important to win as it once was because of all the other available big races for 3YOs. He praised Hartack for his memory in retaining instructions and said he felt it was one of his best assets as a jockey. Luro thought that Shoemaker rode a perfect race in the Derby as well. Bill Finnegan, Hill Rise's trainer, felt that he should have given his horse more speed trials in order to deal with Northern Dancer's speedy acceleration. He felt both horses ran their best races and he eagerly awaited a rematch.

Hartack said his ride on Northern Dancer in the Blue Grass Stakes left him with more confidence in his mount than with any one of his previous Derby rides. Shoemaker felt that Hartack had a ton of horse under him turning into the stretch, while he, in contrast, "was punching at my guy (Hill Rise) a bit". The Shoe and Hill Rise had Northern Dancer at their mercy from the eighth pole to the wire, yet they couldn't win. One observer saw Northern Dancer running so fast that he broke stride, seemed even to stumble a bit at the sixteenth pole

One headline read, "Dancer so Relaxed Luro has to Knock to Waken him Sunday". The Dancer faced a sixteen hour van ride to Pimlico for the Preakness. Hill Rise would fly in. Another headline said, "Dismal Day for Kentucky Thoroughbreds" This was because the Derby winner was foaled in Canada, Hill Rise and The Scoundrel were foaled in California. Roman Brother was Florida-bred and Quadrangle from Virginia. Mr. Brick was the first Kentucky-bred across the wire.

Luro summed the Dancer up as "he's very consistent, honest and has a big heart". One commentator wrote an amusing piece on the growing conversation after the Derby that "Hartack beat Shoemaker". Where do the horses fit in? Bill Winfrey, a trainer who worked with Native Dancer, had a quote regarding the "critical" jockeys: "There was never a jockey who could ride a horse faster than he could run". The whole idea of one jockey outwitting another in this case continues the phenomenon in the Northern Dancer story of a certain lack of respect for the horse in his running career..

"It's a great day for Canada ... the most exciting moments of my racing career", said E.P. Taylor, breeder and owner of the Dancer. Hartack got Northern Dancer to make an extraordinary move on the backstretch, to get out of a trap, hemmed in by Hill Rise, who just couldn't move as fast. Hartack was triumphing for the fourth time in six Derby rides.

The only loss Northern Dancer's damsire, Native Dancer, experienced in 22 races was in his Derby, finishing a neck behind Dark Star. Luro said he and Hartack formed "a wonderful teamwork". The trainer expected a track record because of the lightning fast track and could only hope his horse would set it. And so it was.

Shoemaker said, "I'm not sorry I chose Hill Rise over Northern Dancer. If I had to do it over, I'd do the same thing. It was very close. My horse ran as good as I expected. I was gaining on him at the wire but he was a lot of horse. The ground ran out on us before I could catch him".

While the press thought of deadlines, Hartack signed autographs outside for forty minutes. He was not a big fan of some of the racing media. His account: "I knew I had a horse with speed. I didn't want to press him in the first part. When the gate went up, I took him in hand immediately. When The Scoundrel made his move around the last turn I let him pace me and I had left Hill Rise. With a quarter mile to go I felt I had to make my move. My trainer had told me if I hit the horse to hit him only on the shoulder and not hard. I did and he reacted to it. Then from the quarter pole in I hit him hard on the rear and he responded to that, too. So I put him to a hard drive, hitting hard all the way.

Concerning the Blue Grass Stakes, Hartack said, "I rode him to see what he was made of. I learned that he was agile. I knew he'd be well-trained. He's all blood and guts". Northern Dancer ran the last quarter in the Kentucky Derby in 24 seconds, equaling the track record for the fraction set by Whirlaway in the 1941 Derby. Luro suggested he might not be too anxious to run Northern Dancer in the Belmont, but would consult with Mr. Taylor further.

A local Toronto headline read, "Dancer - littlest horse but biggest heart". Also, the luckiest. The chart of the Derby described in my previous posting records that Northern Dancer, in my estimation, had a mostly perfect trip, the best of any other horse in the race. Given that the Dancer's margin of victory was only a neck, the fact that Hill Rise was bumped and had to go wide on the last turn could have been critical. In the end, however, Hill Rise could not catch up.

I repeat that I think that Hartack's ride was one of the best in the history of the Kentucky Derby. He was aided by the tremendous agility and explosive turn of foot by Northern Dancer himself. Many, many of the Dancer's descendants have shown these all-important traits. Note especially, also that Hartack did not spare his left-handed whipping when things got critical in the stretch drive. I see no sign of Northern Dancer sulking at this. Maybe he wanted this win as much as Hartack, and would forgive him this time. I don't think Luro was about to fire the jockey, in any case.

The Scoundrel, Roman Brother and Quadrangle were not that far back at the finish, given their own assorted troubles during the race. They would all come back for more in the Preakness. Mr. Brick set track record fractions and had a respectable sixth place to his credit.

It would turn out that Northern Dancer's victory did not much impress a lot of "expert" commentators. One writer would say he did not expect the Dancer to finish on the board in the Preakness, this about a horse who had yet to finish unplaced in his career. Hill Rise was only a head behind the Dancer at the half mile pole. He couldn't match Northern Dancer's acceleration then. In the stretch, Hill Rise was only two lengths back, and Churchill Downs is known for its long stretch. In the end, Northern Dancer was best at a distance very few people in the world of racing expertise believed he could successfully compete.

Before the race, Shoemaker opined that a good big horse could always beat a good little horse. Surprise! A lot of writers had fun with the "little guy" coming home on top in this one. As Hartack said on television after the race, Northern Dancer was "all blood and guts". Yes, he was. Canada had a Canadian-bred Derby winner. E.P. Taylor had his breeding dream come true.