Northern Dancer Herd

1971 Report from November, continued. Windfields had success selling some yearlings for big prices in 1971 who weren't much, success also in selling yearlings who were good runners and producers at bargain prices, and notable success that year in purchasing yearlings. Three fillies who would become important broodmares for E.P. Taylor were among these.

At Keeneland, Windfields bought Courting Days, a brown filly by Bold Lad from Admiring, by Hail to Reason for $105,000. Next of the three was Sex Appeal, a chestnut filly by Buckpasser from Best In Show who cost $52,000. From Saratoga came Shake A Leg, a bay filly by Raise A Native from Fleeting Doll, by Fleet Nasrullah for $50,000. Among Taylor yearling purchases in 1971, Courting Days was the most expensive, Sex Appeal was third most costly and Shake A Leg was fourth of the 17 yearlings bought.

We'll look at all three fillies, but first, Courting Days. In the information I have she produced 8 foals, with 4 runners and 4 winners, with one SW. One of the winners was Solar Wind, a son of Northern Dancer who ran in Ireland. Timbuktu, by Tentam was a winner, as was Milliard, by Key to the Mint, who won 10 races through 7YO. But the best out of Courting Days was another son of Northern Dancer, Magesterial, a bay colt, 1977. As a 4YO in England and Ireland he became a SW, winning the Blandford Stakes (IRE-11) at 12 furlongs, the Whitehall S. (IRE-111) at 9 furlongs, and the Land of Burns S at 10 furlongs. He placed in the Sean Graham Ballymoss S (IRE-11) at 10 furlongs, and showed in the Prince of Wales' S (ENG-11) at 10 furlongs.

Magesterial sired Louisiana Derby (GR-111) and Jim Beam (GR-111) winner, J T's Pet, winner of over $645,000, and Del Mar Futurity (GR-1) and Del Mar Debutante (GR-11) winner, Lost Kitty, winner of over $625,000 among his first SW. His daughter, Majesty's Crown, from Queen's Crown, by King Emperor produced multiple stakes winning Smoke Glacken, by Two Punch, by Mr. Prospector. Smoke Glacken won the GR-1 Hopeful as a 2YO among his many stakes wins, with earnings of almost $760,000. His half sister, by Forestry, Smokey Glacken, was a multiple graded SW in 2006. Majesty's Crown had one other SW, Capote's Crown, by Capote.

Reading down the list of SW by Smoke Glacken, it is remarkable how many of his top earners and performers are inbred to Northern Dancer. There is Smok'un Frolic, a GR-11 SW with earnings over $1,500,000, 4x4 to the Dancer; Read the Footnotes, GR-11 SW, over $450,000, 4x4; Smokume, GR-11 SW, over $420,000, 4x3; Bachelor Blues (CAN-11T) SW, over $350,000, 4x4; Carthage, GR-111 SW, over $310,000, 4x4; More Smoke, GR-111 SW, over $235,000, 4x4; Neverlacken, almost $140,000, 4x3 and 2YO, 2006, Cat on a Cloud, over $133,000, SW, 4x4. That's 8 SW of the 25 he's sired so far. Smoke Glacken is also part of the Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer clan.

His numbers are very good as of the end of 2006. 372 foals, 293 runners (79%), 218 winners (59%), 92 2YO winners (25%) and 25 SW (7%). He reached over $1,000,000 in progeny earnings with his first crop of 2YO in 2001, over $4,900,000 in his third year of runners and has maintained offspring earnings of over $3,500,000 each year to 2006. I have a feeling the names Magesterial and Courting Days will be around for some time through Smoke Glacken.

November, 1971. Headline: "Buckstopper Appears Another Sales Topper Headed for Stardom". Buckstopper, a son of Buckpasser from Northern Queen, by Nearctic from Victoriana, by Windfields, which topped Windfields Farm's 1970 consignment to Woodbine on a record bid of $180,000 by Cragwood Estates, appears headed for stardom as have most of the past top priced colts from Windfields. He kept his record unblemished by winning the Larkspur Stakes at Ireland's Leopardstown track in his second start in September. Trainer Vincent O'Brien has high hopes for the colt.

Previous colts which topped Windfields sales and subsequently became bargains for their owners include Dance Act ($75,000 1967), Arctic Blizzard ($35,000 1966), Victorian Era ($25,000 1963), Brockton Boy ($25,000 1962), King Gorm ($35,000 1960), Axeman ($25,000 1959) and Sunday Sail ($20,000 1958).

Buckstopper was a half brother to Northern Monarch, by Ribot, the colt which brought Vincent O'Brien to the sale where he picked up Nijinsky 11. A foal of March 29, 1969, Buckstopper was a chestnut with a star. He was unbeaten in two starts at two. At three he would have one second place from three starts in Europe, placing in the Ulster Harp Derby. At three in Ontario he would have a second and a third from five starts, including a show in the R.S. McLaughlin Stakes in NTR time. At four he would register one allowance win in three starts. With Buckstopper, the high hopes did not translate into a high reality.

Three yearlings had their photographs displayed in my Windfields material as stars of the farm's sales consignments. At Saratoga, the handsome colt who would be named Double Nearco, March 4, by Northern Dancer from Ivy, by Nasrullah brought $170,000. He was a half brother to champion Victorian Era, the colt by Victoria Park who dominated Ontario handicap stakes in his time. Double Nearco was also a half brother to stakes placed Donlands (Menetrier) and to the filly, Victorian Ivy (Victoria Park) who ran third in the Canadian Oaks. He had a full brother in the 2YO Ivy League, a gelding who would win one race from eleven starts with earnings of about $4,500. Double Nearco was a handsome colt with a blaze and a right white hind. He was sent to France in 1972, and then to England in ‘73. In all that traveling he was a winner, and in a further move went to stud in Australia.

Pictured in the center was Down North, a bay colt, April 18, by Victoria Park from Queen's Statute, by Le Lavandou who sold for $77,000 at Woodbine. Queen's Statute had already foaled four SW, Dance Act (Northern Dancer), Epic Queen (Epic), Court Royal (Chop Chop) and Menedict (Menetrier) with more to come. Down North had a star and a left white hind. He would be gelded and win the $10,000 Victoria Stakes at two along with one other race at that age from five starts. He bowed a tendon that season and returned to race once at three and once at four, both times unsuccessfully.

The sale topper for Windfields at Timonium was With A Song, a bay filly by Northern Dancer from Framed, by Ribot. She brought $25,000 and ran second once from nine starts as a 2YO for earnings of $950. She had one further race at four, unplaced, and was sold as a broodmare prospect for $15,000 in 1976. She foaled a colt that year by Twin Times, but no more is known.

So, who emerged from the Windfields yearlings of 1971 as the "big horses"? Try Northern Fling, $35,000 SW colt by Northern Dancer from Impetuous Lady, by Hasty Road. Impressive Lady, $8,700 SW filly by Impressive from Chilly, by Nearctic. Victorianette, $9,500 SW filly by Victoria Park from Lachute, by Match 111. Square Angel, $20,000 SW filly by Quadrangle from Nangela, by Nearctic, and Victorian Prince, $15,000 SW colt by Victorian Era from Willow Lake, by Windfields. Lightning will strike where it will.

Giboulee, 2007. On January 12, 2007, River Savage, a Brazilian-bred, won her first stakes, the $75,000 Paseana Hdcp at Santa Anita Park, for fillies and mares 4YO and up, at 8 and one half furlongs. She was a daughter of First American, a son of Quiet American, from Double Whistle, by Giboulee. Double Whistle was unplaced in two starts. Giboulee, 1974, seems to have sired 16 SW and been broodmare sire of 27 more, presumably in South America. Giboulee was an E.P. Taylor bred son of Northern Dancer from Victory Chant, by Victoria Park from Orchestra, by Menetrier. A pedigree doesn't get much more Windfields than that. As a yearling Giboulee sold for $66,000.

Victory Chant, a member of champion Victoria Park's first crop of 1962 was a winner of three races. Her dam, Orchestra, was an Ontario SW, regularly beating colts in the process. She was the dam of SW Two Violins and stakes-placed Allegro. Allegro was a lovely, feminine daughter of Chop Chop, sire of Victoria Park, so that she and Victory Chant were three quarter sisters. Allegro gave Windfields Icy Note, a minor SW by Nearctic, and SW Swinging Apache and SW Dance in Time, both sons of Northern Dancer. Dance in Time was a Canadian champion at 3YO.

Orchestra's winning daughter by Nearctic, Orchestrina, from his first crop, produced New Pro Escar, by New Providence and winner of the Canadian classic, the Prince of Wales Stakes on turf.

Victory Chant was a solid producer for Windfields. Her first foal, 1967, Theme Song, by Nearctic was stakes placed and dam of SW Durham's Theme, and stakes placed Lord Harry L and Adventure Lyric. Victory Chant's sixth foal, Malvado, 1972, a colt also by Nearctic was stakes placed in France. Next, Vee Vee Vee, 1973, a filly by Viceregal was stakes placed and herself dam of stakes placed Assez Vite. Next came Giboulee, 1974, about whom more shortly. In 1975, Proliferate, a colt by Pronto, won a western stakes for his dam, Victory Chant. In 1976 came Victorious Answer, a filly by Northern Answer and SW in Ontario. Before we turn to Giboulee's exploits, note that he would have a full brother, Lingot d'Or 1978, who could only place at 3YO.

Giboulee was an April 26 foal with a star and two white hinds. He would be sold in 1977 for $350,000 to Brazilian interests, I would assume. He would win over $100,000 in each of the three seasons he ran, for final earnings of just over $350,000. He was champion older male in Canada in 1978. In 1977 he won the Calumet Purse in a lead up to the Kentucky Derby, having run second in the Flamingo Stakes. He was unplaced to Seattle Slew in the Derby, and has the distinction of being the only son of Northern Dancer to have run in the Run for the Roses. He won 13 races, and also won the Redoubt Hdcp but was disqualified to second. He won such important races in Canada as the Coronation Futurity as a 2YO, the Manitoba Derby as a 3YO and the Dominion Day Hdcp as a 4YO. He ran third in the Queen's Plate, the Prince of Wales T and the Ak-Sar-Ben Cornhusker Hdcp GR-11.

Giboulee was in the same 1974 crop as his relative, Dance In Time, winner of the classic Prince of Wales in which Giboulee ran third. I believe Dance in Time was also sent abroad for stud duty. Also, as one final note, Windfields bred in 1974 another son of Northern Dancer from a Victoria Park mare who became another major runner. The mare was Fleur, the colt Epsom Derby and Irish Derby winner, The Minstrel!

Aug./Sept. 1971. Nearctic continued his dominance of Canadian racing despite his transfer to Maryland. Of the first 30 stakes run on the Ontario circuit in 1971, 18 had been won by racers with a cross of Nearctic. His son Coco La Terreur won the Queenston and Woodstock Stakes, a daughter, Not Too Shy, took the Whimsical and Seaway Stakes, anothr daughter, Cool Ruth, won the Boniface; a son, Briartic, captured the Marine; another daughter, Painted Pony, won the Canadian; and daughter, Mary of Scotland, beat the colts in the Canadian Maturity.

Canadian Oaks winner, Lauries Dancer, also winner of the Star Shoot Stakes, is by Northern Dancer, as is Dance Act, winner of three stakes - the Eclipse, the Dominion Day Handicap and the Fair Play.

Kennedy Road, winner of the Queen's Plate and a division of the Plate Trial is out of a daughter of Nearctic named Nearis; the dams of Speedy Zephyr, winner of the Toronto Cup and the Heresy Stakes, Speediness, and of Fury Stakes winner, Connie Pat, Northern Minx, also are by the son of Nearco from Lady Angela.

Kin of Windfields horses were prominent at the recent Keeneland Summer Sales. Top price of $220,000 was paid for the son of Raise A Native from Gold Digger, sold by Spendthrift Farm. He was a full brother of Search for Gold, a 2YO owned by Windfields in partnership. Search for Gold , runner up in the National Stallion Stakes at Belmont was purchased last year for $80,000. The $220,000 colt would turn out to be the sensational sire and broodmare sire, Mr. Prospector.

Near Freezing, Reserve $15000, Northern Quest R $20,000, Down North, R $50,000, Prince Combo R $15000, Cailey Jane, R $35,000, Lily's Point, R $15,000, and Coqueluche, R $25,000 were unnamed yearlings whose photos were featured in my Windfields materials in 1971. There were four others whose R was $10,000. All of these yearlings would be mostly forgotten in their careers, except for one bay filly with a star and two white hinds, at R $10,000 the first foal of her SW Nearctic dam, Nangela. The filly, Square Angel, April 4, was by Quadrangle and would be purchased for double her reserve, $20,000. She would win the Canadian Oaks, the Shady Well, the Fury and the Nettie and be voted champion Canadian 3YO filly.

Her career as a broodmare would be amazing. She would produce 7 foals until she bled to death with her final foaling. Her second foal would be Kamar, by Key to the Mint, May 13, purchased for $65,000 as a yearling in 1977 from Windfields, as Square Angel had been resold back to E.P. Taylor for her broodmare career. Kamar would be champion Canadian 3YO filly and winner of the Canadian Oaks, like her dam. Kamar would produce 4 SW, including Key to the Moon, champion 3YO colt in Canada, Gorgeous, a multiple GR-1 SW, by Slew O'Gold, herself dam of a SW. Then for Kamar came Hiaam, a GR-111 SW, dam and granddam of Sws. Kamar's placed daughter by Nijinsky 11 and only non-winner was Jood, who gave us Fantastic Light, champion grass horse in the USA, and champion older male in the UAE and Ireland, winner of over $7,400,000..

Kamar's final important daughter, GR-1 Kentucky Oaks winner, Seaside Attraction, by Seattle Slew, can make the argument of being Kamar's most accomplished producing daughter. She produced 2YO American champion filly, Golden Attraction, by Mr. Prospector, herself dam of a SW. Then there was Cape Town, by Seeking the Gold, a GR-1 winner and sire so far of a GR-1 SW in each of his first three crops. Then there was Cape Canaveral, by Mr. Prospector, a GR-111 SW and sire. Finally there was Red Carnival, also by Mr. Prospector, a GR-111 SW and dam of Desert Lord, a GR-1 SW and two other group winners. Seaside Attraction died after just five foals. For all of this quality, Kamar would be named Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.

Square Angel was far from through. In 1978, she foaled GR-111 SW Stellarette, by Tentam. She gave us GR-1 SW Cuddles, from whom came GR-11 SW Katz Me If You Can and others, and grandson, 2006 3YO GR-111 SW, Cause to Believe. Stellarette's winning daughter by Nijinsky 11, Augusta Springs, produced GR-11 SW Buffythecenterfold.

Stellareete's unraced Nureyev daughter, Nuryette, produced millionaire GR-1 SW Tap to Music, by Pleasant Tap, and promising GR-11 SW stallion, Northern Afleet, sire of the gritty Afleet Alex, winner of the GR-1 Preakness and Belmont.

Square Angel's 1981 filly foal, a full sister to Kamar, named Love Smitten, became a GR-1 SW herself and then produced Swain, champion older male in England twice and in Ireland once, and multiple GR-1 SW. He was by Nashwan and is already sire of GR-1 SW, Dimitrova, and other graded Sws. Love Smitten also gave us Thief of Hearts, by In the Wings, who became a GR-111 Fr SW.

Square Angel's last foal, Dancing on a Cloud, Mar 22, by Nijinsky 11, was orphaned at birth. She became a SW and dam of a SW Antitrust and of stakes placed Cloudman, who raced to the age of eleven.

So, to go back to those innocent photographs, right there in the middle of the bottom row stands our hidden jewel, pegged with the lowest reserve price, and eventually taken up by an owner who would enjoy her substantial racing success in Canada and then resell her to Windfields for all the resources that would open up. She would live long enough to produce the three especially magic producing daughters, Kamar, Love Smitten and Stellarette, whose offspring would continue the wonder.

August 1971. When Speedy Zephyr, by Restless Wind, won the Toronto Cup at Woodbine a while back he became the 126^th SW bred by E.P. Taylor. The only active breeder in North America who has bred a greater number is C.V. Whitney. The fast chestnut colt, bright red, star-faced, which owner, Charles Rathgeb bought from Windfields yearling consignment in 1969 for $50,000, was the first foal of his dam, the chestnut Speediness. She was stakesplaced on turf at 2YO and a daughter of Nearctic from Stalina, and thus a half sister to Grand Garcon, the only Canadian bred to ever defeat Northern Dancer, which he did in the Cup and Saucer on turf as a 2YO, while getting lots of weight from the much smaller Dancer.

Speediness's next foal, by Sky High 11, was the colt, So Rapidly, who, unfortunately was born with a cleft palate. He raced four times over two seasons without success, which was totally predictable. Speediness died in 1971, shortly after slipping a foal by Victoria Park. The fragility of the thoroughbred business over time is never more evident.

Speedy Zephyr became a bargain after he boosted his earnings to nearly $70,000 by galloping to victory in the Manitoba Derby in track record time. Previously, the colt had won the Toronto Cup ETR as mentioned, and the Heresy, setting a NTR at Woodbine. These last two wins were on turf. Speedy Zephyr was the 80^th SW purchased from Windfields since the sale was inaugurated in 1954. This was nearly one out of every four selected by a buyer. That statistic is a real accomplishment. Windfields had sold for over $50,000 three offerings in its last four sales to win themselves out, including Speedy Zephyr. Dance Act, by Northern Dancer from Queen's Statute, went for $75,000 in 1967, and increased his earnings to more than $90,000 through his win in the Fair Play Stakes. Nijinsky 11, by Northern Dancer from Flaming Page won more than seven times his cost of $84,000 in 1968.

Speedy Zephyr would go on to having successful stakes results in the USA. He would win the Canadian Turf Handicap and the Ventnor, first division, in Florida, and he would place in the Boardwalk T, and show in the Appleton, second division. He also won the Jockey Club Gold Cup T at Woodbine. His earnings before retirement would be just under $150,000.

More news of July, 1971. New Providence was the only stallion standing in Canada to post an Average Earnings Index above 2.00 in 1970. This placed him among the top 7 per cent of sires represented by 10 or more starters. With 20 starters, his figure was 2.04. Although he had had relatively small crops, he had a near perfect record for winners from starters. From his first five crops, he had 26 winners from 27 starters. When The Bloke won last month at Woodbine, it gave New Providence a perfect record with his fifth crop - seven foals, seven runners, seven winners. Of his 26 winners, five, nearly one fifth, have won stakes. Among these was South Ocean, Canadian Oaks winner and future dam of the important Storm Bird.

Deceit, mentioned a number of postings back as a 2YO, was pictured as a 3YO. Windfields daughter of Prince John from Double Agent, had failed in her bid for the Filly Triple Crown when she was unplaced in the Coaching Club American Oaks. It was the first time in eighteen starts that she had finished worse than third. Previously she had won nine races including six stakes and over $220,000.

The Highlander Stakes provided an exciting horse race for Windfields Farm. Its homebred Northern Flash, 1967, sold privately, was beaten narrowly by Coup Landing. Victory for Northern Flash would have been his first in a stakes event. He was a three quarter brother to Nijinsky and Minsky, being by Northern Dancer from SW Flashing Top, by Menetrier from Flaring Top. Flaring Top was dam of Flaming Page, who in turn was dam of the two mentioned champions. My notes say that Northern Flash was injured as a foal. His reserve price was $20,000. He would win at the allowance level 6 times in 30 starts, with 7 seconds and 3 thirds, earning just over $27,000. He was star-faced and sent to Ireland in 1978. Before that he had small crops in Ontario. His first one, foals of 1973, numbered five foals, five starters, five winners. In 1974 came 5 more, of whom I know 4, with 3 winners. In 1975, there were six, of whom I know four, with 3 winners, including SW Joe Vee, a brown colt from Foolish, by Rough n Tumble from Likely Story, by Discovery. Joe Vee won the New Jersey Breeders Stakes as a 2YO, and the Boardwalk on turf as a 3YO. He placed in the Dragoon at 2YO. In 1976, I only know of one named foal.

Nearctic's half sister by Victoria Park, Lady Victoria, was pronounced in foal to Nijinsky 11. She already was the dam of SW Canadian Victory, by Canadian Champ. Her March 15 1971 colt foal, the Northern Dancer SW and excellent Japanese sire, Northern Taste, was in the wings as a weanling. The Nijinsky 11 foal would be British Isles SW, Tanzor.

Peter Fuller's Three Quarter Girl had a Northern Dancer filly at Oshawa that spring. The mare was a three quarter sister of Quadrangle, who defeated the Dancer in the Belmont. Three Quarter Girl's March 26 chestnut filly by Northern Dancer would be named Rapid Item and be sent to the British Isles in 1974, after which time I have no record. Rapid Item would have a full sister arrive in 1973, Radiant Glow, who was probably unraced. Radiant Glow would become the dam of the SW bay gelding, 1994 called Fearless Pirate, a son of Pirate's Bounty.

July 1971. Viceregal, in his first season, attracted very important Canadian mares. The Art Stollery mares, Its Ann, by Royal Gem 11, already the dam of the Northern Dancer filly, Lauries Dancer, winner of the Canadian Oaks, and Nearis, by Nearctic, dam of champion Kennedy Road, both had chestnut colts by Viceregal in the spring of 1971 at Windfields Oshawa Division. The Stollerys owned both Lauries Dancer and Kennedy Road.

The Its Ann colt, March 21, would be named Muddy York and had a star and two white hinds. He would become an allowance level winner. The Nearis colt, May 24, Stope Boss, had a stripe and a left white hind. He would be a winner. Both Muddy York and Stope Boss would disappoint, as would the Viceregals in general. I have noted before where Viceregal shows up in present day pedigrees, but it is not widespread.

Northern Dancer's daughters had dominated the Canadian Oaks since they came of age in 1969. Cool Mood won this important broodmare producing race that year. Fanfreluche ran second in 1970 and Lauries Dancer came through in 1971. Lauries Dancer was very much a Dancer type, what with her light bay coat, her star blaze and left white hind. She would win a total of 6 stakes, including the important Alabama and the Delaware Oaks. She was a Canadian Horse of the Year and would rank as second best 3YO filly in one of the American ratings. She set a NTR 1:48 for nine furlongs, and ran until the age of 5YO before bowing a tendon.

From 11 foals by elite stallions, Lauries Dancer had 7 runners and only two winners. Don't throw her away too quickly. Her daughter Raclette, by Hoist the Flag, was unraced and would produce 9 winners from 10 runners. These included Tong Po, a GR-111 SW, and Willamae, a minor SW who in her turn had 8 winners from 10 runners, including 3 SW. The racing class of Lauries Dancer skipped a generation. The 3 SW in question included Will's Way, a colt by Easy Goer, winner of the GR-1 Travers and Whitney, and Willa On The Move, a filly by the Dancer line stallion, Assert, who won the GR-1 Ashland. The third was Lady Reiko, by Sadlers Wells, a SW and dam of a SW.

Willamae's son, Citidancer, by Dixieland Band, placed in the GR-1 Jerome for his only loss in 4 starts. Citidancer sired GR-1 SW and millionaire filly, Urbane, and another GR-1 SW filly, Hookedonthefeelin. Sweet Willa, a stakesplaced daughter of Willamae foaled GR-111 SW, Undermine. Willamae's unraced daughter, Ms Teak Wood, by Woodman produced Acceptable, a GR-111 SW and runner up in the Breeders Cup Juvenile GR-1.

To finish off the Lauries Dancer story is to come across a strange fact. Willamae's unraced daughter, Willa Joe, by El Gran Senor, became the dam of another SW filly replicating a name already used in the immediate family. This was another Willa On The Move, who won a GR-111 stakes and ran second in the GR-1 Acorn.

I was initially quite disappointed in Lauries Dancer's inability to come close to reproducing her racetrack success. The Italian breeding master, Tesio, proposed that often, successful race mares leave their best energy at the track. With hindsight in the case of Lauries Dancer, one sees her daughters and granddaughters stepping up to the plate. The class lay dormant for a time.

On March 25, 1968, Minsky, a full brother to Nijinsky, came into the world at Windfields Farm. Unlike his brother, Minsky was a chestnut with a blaze and a left white fore and two white hinds. He was described as bigger and more powerful looking than his illustrious brother, and I made the note in my papers that he gained a reputation over his racing career of being a bit "crazy", which was probably a touch of the fiesty Northern Dancer temperament and temper.

He was not able to live up to Nijinsky's accomplishments, but then not many other thoroughbreds ever would. His competition in the British Isles was at least as tough as his brother had the year before. As a 2YO, he was Ireland's champion colt of that age. He won the Beresford at a mile and the Railway, both of which his brother had won the year before. He ran second in the Erne, which Nijinsky had won, and he also was second in the Observer Gold Cup to Linden Tree, who would be runner-up in the Epsom Derby.

According to one commentator, "Minsky was perhaps a shade unlucky in the Observer. The verdict against him was only a head, and Minsky returned minus a hind plate, a hock slightly cut and with his saddle having slipped.

In 1971, as a 3YO, Minsky won his first two starts, the Gladness and the Tetrarch Stakes, both run at the Curragh in April. In the Tetrarch, second was King's Company, subsequent winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Minsky's final race in the British Isles was in the English 2,000 Guineas, in which he finished fourth to Brigadier Gerard, Mill Reef and My Swallow. The quality represented by this opposition was exceptional - Brigadier Gerard was winning his fifth race in a row and was undefeated; Mill Reef, subsequent winner of the Derby, in seven starts had met defeat only once before, that being in the Prix Robert Papin, giving a short head to My Swallow, as 2YOs. My Swallow went into the Guineas with an undefeated record of eight wins

In June, Minsky was flown to the USA to race in Windfields colors. Engelhard had purchased him as a yearling for $140,000, but he was now back with his breeder. As a 3YO in North America, Minsky made 10 starts with 2 wins and 2 seconds. He won the Durham Cup in Canada, and ran second in the Discovery Stakes in the USA. He would be named Canadian champion 3YO colt. He did not race at 4YO. At 5YO he won the Durham Cup again, and ran third in the Niagara Stakes on turf in Ontario. He ran fourth in the Washington DC International.

Minsky was sent to Japan for stud duty, where he sired three crops, some of which were very successful, but he died of a twisted intestine thereafter.

Minsky had the impossible task of living up to his great brother's record. His record as a runner in England and Ireland was excellent, as was his record as a stallion in Japan. There, much promise was cut short.

October, 1970. E.P. Taylor set a record when two thoroughbreds of his breeding were syndicated for $7,840,000 during a brief 48 hour period at Saratoga. On August 12 the Windfields owner announced the syndication of 9YO Northern Dancer for $2,400,000, each of the 32 shares in the 1964 3YO champion being worth $75,000. Two days later Charles Engelhard's unbeaten English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky was syndicated for $5,440,000. The latter figure constitutes a world record, value of each of the 32 shares being $170,000. Previous highs for stallion syndications were $5,000,000 for Vaguely Noble and $4,800,000 for Buckpasser.

Actually, Northern Dancer and Nijinsky are the second and third generations of their sire line to be syndicated by Mr. Taylor. In 1967 he sold 13YO Nearctic to a Maryland based syndicate for $1,050,000, still a record figure for a horse of his age. Nearctic, sire of more than 30 SW including Northern Dancer, has stood at stud ever since at Mrs. Richard C duPont's Woodstock Farm.

Nijinsky, who is to enter stud in 1971 at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Ky, was bred by Mr. Taylor and sold by his Windfields Farm at the 1968 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Sale at Woodbine for $84,000 to Engelhard's Cragwood Estates. He recently became the eighth Triple Crown winner in English racing history.

Northern Dancer made his farewell racetrack appearance in Canada on Labor Day when he was paraded before a large and appreciative crowd at Woodbine. I was in that crowd and caught the Dancer looking back over his shoulder in my direction, letting out a loud cry which I took to be for my benefit. I believe the reason why Northern Dancer was brought from Maryland back to Canada was to set the legal stage with customs officials for his eventual return from Maryland to the land of his birth upon his death. That was what happened in 1990 when his remains were shipped home without incident.

July, 1970. "Nijinsky Attracts World-Wide Acclaim". So read the headline. The Canadian-bred's victory elicited widespread praise for both the ease with which he won the Epsom Derby and the time in which he accomplished the victory.

"Nijinsky just might be the best horse we've seen since Ribot" - Lord Derby

"Nijinsky's speed settled the Derby in a flash". - Len Thomas, Sporting Life

"So easily had Nijinsky made it seem that it was difficult to believe his final time of two minutes 34:68 seconds was but :88 of a second off Mahmoud's 1936 Derby record. Actually, this may have been the fastest Derby of all, because in Mahmoud's day, before adaption of the starting gate, horses could take advantage of a faster getaway from a walkup start". - Whitney Tower, Sports Illustrated.

"Nijinsky: One in a Million". - London Daily Mail

"The victory put Nijinsky in world championship class". - Morning Telegraph

"Brilliant in every way". - Sports Illustrated

"Nijinsky, apparently not only unbeaten but unlimited showed the Epsom throng how to win a Derby without really trying".- Charles Hatton, Morning Telegraph

"We were always cantering. A grand ride and a grand horse." Lester Piggott, Nijinsky's jockey

"Nijinsky responded brilliantly ... he swooped, sped clear and was easing with his ears pricked as he passed the post". - Peter Towers-Clark, Thoroughbred Record