Northern Dancer Herd

Assert. November, 1982. World class 3YO Assert joined the Windfields Maryland team of stallions for the 1983 breeding season. In the colors of Robert Sangster, Assert won the French and Irish Derbys, Benson and Hedges Gold Cup and Joe McGrath Memorial, all Group 1 races. Assert, a $25 million investment, is the third costliest syndication in North America. Only Conquistador Cielo at $36,400,000 and Storm Bird at $30 million were higher. He boasts a rich pedigree, being by the brilliant miler and leading sire, Be My Guest, (a son of Northern Dancer), out of the Sea Bird mare Irish Bird. Assert became a member of a unique father-son-grandson triumvirate with Northern Dancer and The Minstrel

In October 1981 the Northern Dancer syndicate spurned a $40 million offer for the 20YO champion. In January 1982, a share in The Minstrel sold for $975,000 at auction in Kentucky placing a $35 million value on the Northern Dancer stallion E.P. Taylor had sold as a yearling for $200,000. He had been syndicated in September 1977 for $9 million.

Awaasif at the time of her sale by E.P. Taylor for $325,000 was the highest priced yearling ever sold at Fasig Tipton's Kentucky July Sale. She earned a trip to the USA when she finished a strong third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October. In August, the Taylor bred daughter of Snow Knight from Royal Statute, by Northern Dancer had won the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks at England's York racecourse. A bit of a hardluck filly, she had been fourth in the Epsom Oaks after being jostled, missed the Irish Oaks due to a mastitis infection, and later drew the outside in the Washington D.C. International in which she finished fifth. Her younger stablemate, also a Taylor bred, Shareef Dancer, by Northern Dancer from Sweet Alliance, who had sold for $3.3 million as a yearling, won his first start at Newmarket in August 1982.

Danzatore was seen by most students of Irish form as the logical topweight on the Madrid Free Handicap to be issued in December. He won all three of his starts in high fashion. A $1 million purchase from Windfields in 1981, he was by Northern Dancer from Shake a Leg, by Raise a Native. If he gets top honor in the Madrid ‘Cap, he would become the eighteenth champion to be sired by Northern Dancer. The previous record number of champions sired by any stallion was thirteen, by Nasrullah. Northern Dancer broke that record 5 years ago.

When his daughter Dance Number won the $35,000 High Voltage Stakes at Aqueduct on October 29, the Dancer was credited with his 88^th career SW. Leading living sire of SW, he ranked third behind Nasrullah 99 and Court Martial 96. Northern Dancer would top the 100 mark if he maintained his present ratio of 20 per cent SW to foals. (In fact, he would sire 147 SW, with a 23 per cent ratio.) As of November, 1982, Northern Dancer had 11 2YO winners. Surprisingly, only one - Dixieland Band - broke his maiden in the USA. The remainder scored in either England, Ireland or France.

Taking a look at the Dancer's son, The Minstrel, with his first crop only 3YO, the European champion had sired 11 SW. Strangely, all 11 are European SW: England, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. He is the sire of 7 2YO winners of 1982, three of who had gone on to win stakes.

Brave. November, 1982. Taking a place in the Windfields stallion barn beside his sire Vice Regent, Brave Regent was to enter stud in 1983 at a fee of $3500, live foal. Injured in the quest for the Queen's Plate, the Taylor colt retired with a record of six wins, a second and two thirds in 10 career starts and earnings of over $153,000.

As a 2YO, the son of Vice Regent from Buh Buh Buh Bold, by Bold Monarch won the Cup and Saucer Stakes GR-11C and a 123 lbs rating on the Canadian Free Handicap. At 3YO in 1982, Brave Regent gave weight and a beating to ultimate Queen's Plate winner, Son of Briartic in the $50,000 Queenston Stakes, then slammed both Le Danseur and Son of Briartic again in his next start, the Marine Stakes GR-111C. After finishing third in the Plate Trial Stakes, Brave Regent ruptured a tendon in his left foreleg. For a time it appeared the colt would have to be destroyed, but he came through and was saved for breeding. Bred in Canada by King Meadow Farms, Brave Regent was a $50,000 purchase by Windfields at the 1980 September CTHS Sale.

Early in the spring of 1982 Windfields Canadian racing stable appeared to have a good chance of scoring a Queen's Plate/Canadian Oaks double with Brave Regent and Choral Group. Brave Regent as we saw above ruptured a tendon in the Plate Trial. Choral Group, Champion 2YO filly in an unbeaten season, failed to carry through as a 3YO. At first, her sub-par performance was attributed to a cystic ovary, but later it became clear the Lord Durham filly just wasn't within pounds of her 1981 form.

The young horses were slow to come to hand in Bud Delp's American division, as well. Linda North and Royal Anthem won small stakes along the way, but the stable suffered a major blow when The Minstrel's full sister, Midsummer Magic cracked a sesmoid and had to be retired before she could start.

The continuing success of Windfields sires, Halo and Vice Regent, was a bright spot. Sons and daughters of this pair accounted for 9 stakes in the 2YO division. Sunny's Halo and Halo Reply represented Halo, and Haliburton Huskie and Victorious Emperor represented Vice Regent. Sunny's Halo, uncrowned 2YO champ, won 4 stakes including the rich Coronation Futurity by margins ranging from 6 to 10 lengths. The colt had earnings of over $235,000. Halo Reply, a Taylor bred yearling filly out of Cold Reply, by Northern Dancer who sold for $70,000 was quick in repaying that purse, winning the $84,000 Yearling Sales Stakes (Filly Division).

Both Haliburton Huskie and Victorious Emperor rated well going a distance and had shown a good finish. Haliburton Huskie accounted for the Bull Page, Vandal and Yearling Sales Stakes (Colt Division). Victorious Emperor, a $60,000 yearling sold by Windfields, became a SW in his first attempt, winning cleverly by moving along the rail in the Cup and Saucer Stakes on turf. His older full brother Springtide had finished second in the Cup and Saucer in his 2YO year. Both Victorious Emperor and Springtide were out of the winning Taylor broodmare, Springlet, who was by Young Emperor from Deepsprings, by Barbizon from Swooning. In racing one absorbs the disappointments and hails the bright spots.

Two more. December, 1982. There were two other Windfields yearling fillies of note sold from the 1982 yearling crop besides the five listed in the previous posting. First, a bay filly with a star stripe, a left white fore and two white hinds, by Tentam from Northern Dancer's dam, Natalma, her last foal, who would fetch $725,000. Named Born a Lady, she raced one year with 12 starts and 4 wins, a second and a third. She won the Pearl Necklace Stakes and was second in the Drop Me a Note Stakes. Her earnings were over $57,000.

Born a Lady's best son was Arrowtown, a brown colt, 1998, by Mr Prospector. He was a SW and stakes placed as a 3YO, a SW and graded stakes placed at 4YO, running second in the True North GR-11 and third in the Tom Fool GR-11 and the Roseben GR-111. As a 5YO he again ran second in the True North GR-11.

As for the other filly, for the second time in as many years, a yearling by Northern Dancer from New Providence's daughter, South Ocean, set a world record when sold in July at Keeneland. The price for the filly was $1.8 million. Her brother, Ballydoyle had commanded $3.5 million at Keeneland the year before.

For a filly who elicited only a $6,000 bid as a yearling, South Ocean had done well by herself. A SW as a 2YO and as a 3YO, including the Canadian Oaks, South Ocean had 6 foals sell as yearlings for $6,502,000. Her first foal, Sevastopol, by Nijinsky 11, failed to meet his reserve of $50,000. Then came SW Northernette, $50,000, by Northern Dancer, then SW Ocean's Answer, $51,000, by Northern Answer, then SW Let's Go South, $101,000 by One for All, then SW Storm Bird, $1 million, by Northern Dancer, then Ballydoyle, $3.5 million, and then the filly in question. As a 3YO Storm Bird would be syndicated for $30 million.

Ballydoyle would be a winner as a 2YO, be retired to stud and make no impact. Storm Bird would make such an impact! The record setting filly, South Sea Dancer, would win as a 4YO and as a 5YO, running second in the Sacramento H and third in the oddly named race, the Daddy's Datsun Invitational H. She would produce Signal Tap, a bay colt, 1991, by Fappiano, who would win 2 stakes as a 5YO, both GR111T, including a NCR for 9 furlongs in 1:46 in the Bougainvillea H. He would run third in the Man O'War S GR-1T, at 11 furlongs.

South Sea Dancer's daughter, a bay, 1987, Island Wedding, herself a $1 million yearling by Blushing Groom would be a winner in England and produce GR-111 SW Winter Romance, a chestnut colt by Cadeaux Genereux running in England and Europe and the stakes placed winning filly, Due South, 1995, by Darshaan, in England.

Signal Tap's best offspring by far was the GR-1 SW Got Koko, a bay filly, 1999 out of Baby North, a daughter of the Northern Dancer stallion, Northern Baby. She would win the La Brea S GR-1 and others and run third in the Breeders Cup Distaff GR-1 and the Santa Monica GR-1, winning almost $1 million in the process.

It is hard to see the benefits from selling yearlings by Northern Dancer for millions as he moved into the end of his stud career. He would never sire a million dollar earner, because his best offspring came along before the purses could manage million dollar yearlings. It is interesting to see his grandson, Storm Cat, also siring the big ticket yearlings as his stud career sunsets. Again, I don't see any of them tearing up the track. Ultimately, only a few become great, they can come from anywhere, and we are fools to think otherwise.

Flops. December, 1982. The newsletter opened to a five yearling conformation photo spread. These yearlings represented some of the best prices Windfields got for their 1982 crop. On the left, the Halo from Ballade colt with the big blaze, a $325,000 purchase, Devil's Bag, whom we looked at last time, to be trained by Woody Stephens to a championship 2YO season.

On the right, from the top right, clockwise, a $1,4 million chestnut colt with 4 white feet and a star snip, by The Minstrel from Treat Me Nobly. Treat Me Nobly was an unraced daughter of Vaguely Noble from What a Treat, by Tudor Minstrel. What a Treat, when bred to Northern Dancer, gave us the top English miler and leading sire, Be My Guest. Treat Me Nobly had been bred to Northern Dancer 3 times. First offspring, Faten, 1978, a filly who won at 3YO in France and placed second in the Prix des Tourelles. Next, Regal Step, 1980, a colt who won at 2YO and 4YO in France, and who raced in Italy. He was a multiple stakes placed runner, second in the Prix de Suresnes, the Prix de la Table and the Prix du Nabob, and third in the Premio Carlo Porta, GR-111 and the Prix du Mandinet. In 1982, Treat Me Nobly produced Northern Blazer, a colt by the Dancer who was unraced as of 1985. With all this promising family going with him, it was not surprising that this The Minstrel colt would corner such a major price. Alas, Cantatore, as this colt would be called, was unplaced as a 3YO in the USA, the worst runner for his dam so far.

In the bottom right corner was a bay filly costing $925,000, by Northern Dancer from Flower Princess, with a star and a white right hind. She would be called Dance Flower and would be a SW. Her dam, Flower Princess, was a daughter of Majestic Prince from Fleur, dam of The Minstrel. Flower Princess won the Duchess Stakes; her daughter, Dance Flower would win 3 races from 3 starts as a 3YO, including the Vogue Stakes.

Bottom left was a $1 million Northern Dancer from Bold Melody filly. Bold Melody raced 2 years, with 14 starts, 5 wins and nearly $35,000 in earnings. She was by Bold Reason from Broadway Melody, by Tudor Melody. Broadway Melody, when bred to Northern Dancer, produced 2YO French champion, Broadway Dancer, winner of the Prix Morny GR-1 among her stakes placings. Bold Melody had previously produced, to the cover of Northern Dancer, Northair, a winning colt and eventual sire in South America. She would produce Cadency, 1982, also by the Dancer. The million dollar yearling in question would be named Al Bayan and, as of 1984, would only be placed as a 2YO in England.

Finally, upper left, with 4 white stockings and a blaze, a bay filly by Northern Dancer from Shake A Leg, and thus a full sister to Danzatore, a new champion, selling for $1.4 million. Named Nadia Nerina, this flashy filly would win as a 3YO in England.

So, in the end, aside from Devil's Bag, the "cheapest" presented here by far, who would become a champion and good sire, nothing much came from this group. To be fair, Al Bayan would produce GR-11 SW Qathif, a dark brown colt by Riverman, but who has heard of him since? The quest to present full brothers and sisters to champions is natural, but my materials indicate that imitating accomplishment is hard to achieve.

Pictures, December, 1981. A photo showed Windfields latest star, Choral Group, undefeated in 5 starts as a 2YO winding up her juvenile campaign with a win in the Tempted S-GR-11 at Aqueduct on November 2. The 3-time SW had won over $115,000. Below her, a photo showed Truly Bound, a Windfields filly among the best of her generation as a 2YO and 3YO who had been retired with earnings of over $380,000. She would be bred to Northern Dancer in 1982. That mating would produce Obligato, 1983, who would sell for millions and be unplaced in 2 starts in Ireland. A little guy at 15.2 hands, he would go to stud in New York and, as of 1998, sired 71 per cent runners from foals, 74 per cent winners from runners and 11 per cent stakes horses from winners.

His best offspring by far was Boom Towner, 1988, a colt from a Stop the Music mare. He won the Toboggan H GR-111 twice, the Sport Page GR-111, the Boojum H GR-111 and two other stakes. He ran second in the Frank J DeFrancis Memorial Dash GR-11, the Bold Ruler H GR-111 and two other stakes, and third in the Fall Highweight H GR-11, Coaltown Breeders Cup H GR-111 and Finger Lakes Budweiser Breeders Cup H to 9YO, 1997. His earnings were over $930,000.

Obligato's other SW were, as of 1998, the colt, Bit of Puddin 1991, the filly Catch Kara 1990 and the filly Turning North, 1989.

Another photo showed broodmare Courting Days, a winner in Ireland. She was the dam of Magesterial, a graded European SW by Northern Dancer, syndicated for $5 million. Next, Shake a Leg, shown defeating champion Desert Vixen in the Miss Woodford. She was a SW as a 2YO, 3YO and 4YO. At stud she had produced SW Vaguely Modest and stakes placed London Bells. Danzatore, her champion son in Britain by the Dancer awaited in the future. Ballade was shown in a photo with her foal, Devil's Bag, a full brother to Glorious Song. He would be offered at Keeneland in July, 1982. Ballade as a winner as a 2YO and a 3YO. Her first foal, Eclipse and Sovereign champion Glorious Song had won over $1 million. Devil's Bag would win 8 of 9 starts as a 2YO and a 3YO and be champion 2YO, winning the Champaign S GR-1, the Laurel Futurity GR-1 and the Cowdin GR-11 among his wins.

A graded SW of almost $220,000, Northern Sea, a white faced and white legged daughter of Northern Dancer was shown in the Windfields colors defeating another major daughter of the Dancer, Northernette in the Test Stakes at Saratoga. She was trained by Bud Delp who also conditioned Spectacular Bid, to whom she was in foal. The resultant foal, Spectacular Sea, a colt 1982 would be unraced as of 1985.

The final photo in this gallery of Taylor broodmares was Kentucky Oaks winner Sweet Alliance, earner of about $180,000 who hit the jackpot with her first foal, a Northern Dancer colt, Shareef Dancer, who sold for $3.3 million at Keeneland in July 1981. He would win the Irish Sweeps Derby and be syndicated for record millions.

Linda North was a brown filly, 1979, by Northern Dancer from Lindaria, by Sea Bird from Wendasy, by Your Host. Lindaria was a half sister to Northern Bay, a SW from Northern Dancer's first crop. Linda North, purchased by, and racing for Windfields, won the Blue Hen Stakes as a 2YO. As a 3YO, she won the Davona Dale Stakes, the Open Fire Handicap and the Desert Vixen Stakes; she finished second in the Truly Bound Stakes, and third in the Fair Ground Oaks GR-111 and the Jeanne d'Arc Stakes. From 6 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds, she earned over $95,000.

Her first foal Sport Royal, a colt, 1984, by Secretariat, won over $50,000 with thirds in the Lawrence Realization Stakes GR-11, the Choice Handicap GR-111 and the Militia Stakes. Following an unnamed yearling filly by Master Willie who died, Linda North gave us her biggest success as a broodmare with Norquestor, a brown colt 1986 by Conquistador Cielo. Norquestor had 9 wins from 18 starts as a 3YO and 4YO, winning over $550,000. He won the Pegasus H GR-1, the Red Bank H GR-111 and 2 other stakes. He ran second in the Meadowlands Cup H GR-1 and two other stakes, and third in the Hallandale H.

To 1997 as a sire, Norquestor sired the filly, Chip, winner of over $345,000 in the Rampart H GR-11, the First Lady H GR-111 and the Shirley Jones GR-111. He also had sired 7 other SW by that year as well as an additional 10 other stakes placed runners.

In 1987 Linda North produced the placed Lindas Song, by Seattle Song, dam of stakes placed Prosong. In 1988 came Majesterian, a SW colt by Pleasant Colony, twice GR-11 placed, Linda North's "second best", who earned over $260,000. In 1989 Landing North, a filly by Vanlandingham from Linda North arrived on the scene. She would be a winner as would Wesnorth, 1990, Linda North's son by Gone West, a winner of over $75,000. Next, 1991, Muzrak, a colt by Forty Niner and winner as a 5YO in England. Then, 1992, Viva Linda, a placed filly by Seeking the Gold. From a return visit to Pleasant Colony came Colony Turf, a colt, unraced as of 1996 who was sent to Japan. A colt 1996 by Capote, accompanied Linda North to the Windfields dispersal sale in 1996.

In discussing trends in the Thoroughbred marketplace at the time, John Finney, president of Fasig-Tipton Company, Inc., noted that among North American investors, only E.P. Taylor had been a major buyer consistently since the end of World War 11. "While E.P. is widely recognized as a seller, he has never stopped buying yearling fillies, constantly seeking to upgrade his broodmare band", noted Finney. With Taylor, one out of every three dollars taken out of the market was reinvested in the acquisition of fillies purchased as broodmare prospects. Linda North was one of those. In the process, the Windfields broodmare band had been transformed from essentially Canadian form to international acclaim.

Final bid. December, 1980. Opening at $500,000 and landing her on a final bid of $900,000, E.P. Taylor acquired the costliest yearling filly sold at public auction that year when he purchased Newstead Farm Trust's The Minstrel from Mrs. Peterkin filly at Saratoga.

The headliner was from a family that had been very good to both Newstead and Windfields. Taylor had earlier purchased Mrs. Peterkin's produce, Dancing Champ (over $128,000), Sweet Alliance (over $179,000, Kentucky Oaks)and Banderole, as well as granddaughter Lady Roberta (over $112,000).

Banderole, a daughter, 1975, of Hoist the Flag was a winner whose first produce were twins by Northern Dancer, Northern Banner, a filly and Bandsman, a colt. Both were unraced, and Bandsman was sent to Trinidad as a sire prospect where he was successful. Banderole's second foal, Clipsydra, a filly, 1980, by Vice Regent was unraced.. Russian Ribbon, Banderole's 1982 filly by Nijinsky 11 was unraced as of 1985.

Mrs. Peterkin's bay daughter by The Minstrel was named Minstrelsy. She would place at 3YO and win one race as a 4YO for earnings of over $14,000. Her first foal, 1984, was Mrs. Croesus, a filly by Key to the Mint, who would be unplaced in one start. Then came Mr. Minstrel, a colt, 1985, by Master Willie who would win in England and Ireland with a stakes placing in Ireland. Minstrelsy's next son, Seattle Pride, 1986, a colt by Seattle Song would win at 4YO in England.

Then, in 1987, Minstrelsy got better, producing Star Standing, a filly by Assert, a grandson of Northern Dancer, who would win the Orchid Stakes GR-11 and 3 other stakes, with 7 wins at 3YO and 4YO in all and nearly $375,000 in earnings. In 1988, Minstrelsy's son, Canadian Emigrant, by Commemorate, was a winner of over $40,000. A full sister to him, One Quick Bid, 1989, also was a winner as a 4YO. In 1991 came Mardys Secret, a colt by Secret Claim with 5 wins.

Things looked up again for Minstrelsy in 1992 when, to the cover of Gone West, she produced Tamayaz, a GR-111 SW, multiple GR-11 placed. In 1994, son Premium Ohja, by Housebuster was sent unraced to Japan. Before the 1996 Windfields dispersal, Minstrelsy foaled a filly, 1995, by Pleasant Colony and was in foal for 1997 to Capote.

Minstrelsy was not much as a runner but better as a broodmare. But in that same year at Saratoga, Windfields bought a filly by Northern Dancer from Lindaria for $525,000 from Keswick Stables. We'll take a look at her next time. Named Linda North, she was arguably the best yearling purchased by Windfields in 1980.

Price, prize. December, 1980. As Windfields looked at its yearling sales summary, it saw a gross of over $6,800,000 on a crop of 74 farm yearlings enabling Taylor to record an over $92,000 average. Heading the list of records was a $1.25 million son of Northern Dancer from Fleur sold to Robert Sangster. The colt was a full brother to The Minstrel, the champion previously owned by Sangster.

A lovely daughter of Snow Knight from Royal Statute, by Northern Dancer sold for $325,000 to Sheik Mohammed bin Rashed al Maktoum of Dubai. This filly would be named Awaasif and she would be the champion 3YO filly n England and the champion older mare in Italy. She would win the Yorkshire Oaks GR-1, the Gran Premio del Jockey Club and place third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe GR-1.

The Fleur colt, brother to The Minstrel, GR-1 SW and Far North, GR-111 SW, would be called Pilgrim. He would win the Midsummer Scurry Handicap and the Youghal Stakes, run second in The Minstrel Stakes and have 3 wins from 4 starts as a 2YO and a 3YO.

Taylor bred Glorious Song, daughter of Windfields stallion Halo, to continue from a recent posting, returned to Canada during the summer after her brilliant spring campaign south of the border. At home she beat colts in both the Dominion Day Handicap and the Maturity Stakes. Back in the States, she completed her year's work with a second to Spectacular Bid in the Amory Haskell Hdcp and a second to Winter's Tale in the Marlboro Cup. Her year's campaign was worth over $535,000 in earnings. By the way, Winter's Tale was a multiple GR-1 SW, a gelded son of Arts and Letters from Windfields bred Christmas Wind, 1967, a daughter of Nearctic from Bally Free. The good sire, Red Ransom, is from the family, being by Roberto from Arabia, by Damascus from Christmas Wind.

Current leader in North America of 2YO winners is Vice Regent with 17. The son of Northern Dancer from Victoria Regina had a remarkable record with his juvenile offspring. Of his 86 previous 2YO, 44 per cent won and this year 47 per cent of his current 36 foal crop won. From his 122 foals of racing age, Vice Regent had sired 18 SW - a very high percentage of 15. Ten of the 18 won stakes as 2YO. For 1981, Vice Regent would stand at a fee of $30,000, of which $10,000 would be payable when the contract was signed and was not refundable. Even at that fee, Vice Regent was the most popular stallion in Canada.

Dixie. July, 1980. The materials reported that the grand racemare Mississippi Mud was in foal to Northern Dancer for 1981. In 1980 on March 20, Mississippi Mud foaled a bay colt by the Dancer. As I prepare this posting on March 20, 2007, it is that foal's 27^th natural birthday. This would be the good racehorse, good sire (111 SW to the end of 2006) and emerging broodmare sire (think Street Sense), Dixieland Band. As a racehorse, he won the Pennsylvania Derby GR-11 and the Massachusetts Handicap GR-11. He finished last, I believe, in the 1983 Belmont Stakes GR-1, the only son of Northern Dancer to run in that race. Dixieland Band would be Northern Dancer's leading active sire every year from 1999 to 2006. To 2006, he has sired 10 group one or grade one stakes winners.

The 1981 foal to come from Mississippi Mud by the Dancer might have been Ragtime, a winning filly and producer, and granddam of Brazilian GR-11 SW, Polvora Negra.

December 1980. Storm Bird, which Windfields Farm sold as a yearling at Keeneland in 1979 for $1 million kept his record unblemished when he scored his fifth win in a row in Newmarket's Dewhurst Stakes GR-1. Recognized as the best 2YO in Europe, the son of Northern Dancer from South Ocean previously had won his first four starts in Ireland, including the National Stakes GR-11, the Anglesey GR-111 and the Larkspur Stakes GR-111. The Dewhurst long had been an important part of trainer Vincent O'Brien's preparation of his classic prospects. He first won the 7 furlong test in 1969 with Nijinsky 11. Subsequently, he won four more with Cellini, The Minstrel, Try My Best and Monteverdi before Storm Bird became no. 6.

When asked to compare Storm Bird with his previous winners, O'Brien replied: "He could possibly prove the best". This was high praise indeed, since Nijinsky 11 went on to win England's Triple Crown and The Minstrel won both English and Irish Derbies. Seldom did O'Brien race his best juveniles as many as 5 times, but he followed a similar program with Nijinsky 11. That son of Northern Dancer also scored his fifth straight victory in the Dewhurst after winning his first four starts in Ireland.

Street Ballet, mentioned last time, cost Windfields $200,000 as a yearling in 1978 at Keeneland. Her older full sister, La Nijinska, by Nijinsky 11 from Street Dancer, by Native Dancer, had cost $232,000 for Taylor to buy her in 1976, also at Keeneland. A winner of 3 of 6 starts as a 2YO and 3YO, La Nijinska was an early favorite for the Black Eyed Susan Stakes after her third place finish to champion Lakeville Miss in the Constitution Stakes at Keystone. But in a prep for the Pimlico filly classic she suffered a fracture in a foot which terminated her racing career.

Her first foal, Taylor bred La Tentam, a colt by Tentam, 1979, was unplaced at 2YO and 3YO. Her second, Snow Jinks, 1980, a colt by Snow Knight, was a winner at 3YO. Next came Circle Above, a colt by Halo, 1982, unraced as of 1985, the date of the materials. Finally, to 1985, I have Darling Willie, a filly 1983 by Master Willie. None of these made an impact. At her yearling price, La Nijinska would have to be considered a disappointment.

Lady, street. July, 1980. Lady Roberta, a 3YO filly who cost $200,000 as a yearling for buyer, Windfields Farm, was ranked no higher than third among the Taylor fillies shipped west that winter. Street Ballet, among 1979's top 2YO fillies after being second to Genuine Risk in the Tempted Stakes and third to champion Smart Angle in the Selima GR-1, looked to have first honors. Majestic Miss seemed to be next best, followed by Lady Roberta.

True to form, Street Ballet, by Nijinsky 11 from Street Dancer, by Native Dancer, won the $45,000 La Sentinela Stakes, then was overtaken by a series of racing misfortunes. Meanwhile Majestic Miss, by Majestic Prince from SW Miss Rebound, seemed unsuited to Santa Anita, so was shipped to Pimlico where she ran up three victories in quick order. Lady Roberta, by Roberto from Farouche, by Northern Dancer, came up tough as nails as a replacement. She won the $100,000 Honeymoon Handicap GR-111T before shifting to the main track for the Princess Stakes GR-111. Carrying co-topweight of 122 lbs, her late charge fell a nose short of catching the Northern Dancer filly Disconiz. Disconiz, a star faced bay filly 1977, who was from Codorniz, by Cockrullah, would become the dam of Digamist, a chestnut colt 1985 by Blushing Groom who would become a GR-1 SW.

Lady Roberta was an expensive purchase because of her female family. Her granddam was Mrs. Peterkin, dam of Dancing Champ and Sweet Alliance whom we have seen previously. Farouche, Lady Roberta's dam was a grade 111 stakes placed winner on turf. In 1976, Farouche produced the grade 111 placed Wild Bidder, by Bold Bidder. She would go on to foal SW Mangayah, a bay filly, 1983, by Spectacular Bid, and SW Worood, a bay filly, 1985, by Vaguely Noble.

When we look at the offspring of Lady Roberta, Street Ballet and Majestic Miss, we see two misses and a hit. I couldn't follow Lady Roberta and Majestic Miss very far, but Street Ballet was good. Besides placing third in the GR-1 Selima at 2YO, she was second in the Santa Susana GR-1, with many other GR-111 placings. I was able to follow her foaling record up until 1996, when she was sold in the complete dispersal of Windfields stock.

Street Ballet's first foal, Dance Crazy, a filly, 1982 by Foolish Pleasure was an unraced producer. Her second, the Halo filly Halo Street won 4 races from 8 starts and equaled a track record at Hollywood Park. In 1984 Street Ballet gave us Willie N Waylon, a colt by Taylor stallion Master Willie who earned almost $80,000 from 3 wins as a 4YO. Next, Street Ballet came up big with the unraced Conquistador Cielo filly, Arbela, 1985. Arbela would be the dam of Apelia, by Taylor bred Cool Victor. Apelia would become a SW of over $620,000, champion sprinter in Canada and twice winner of the Genuine Risk GR-11 stakes in New York, named after her granddam's nemesis. Another SW offspring of Arbela would be Camlan, by Brave Shot, winner of over $270,000.

In 1986, Street Ballet gave us the sound and durable Street Fair, a colt by Commemorate who won 20 races from 3YO to 10YO. She followed him with her first SW in her own right, Street Rebel, a colt, 1988, by Robellino, who was a GR-111 SW in Ireland, with multiple GR-111 placings in Europe. Street Ballet was not through with producing SW. In 1989, her colt foal by Two Punch, Ponche, would be a SW and winner of over $435,000 to 7YO in 1996. To that year Street Ballet would have three more named fillies, Cusiana, 1991, by Country Light and Come Dancing, 1992 by Two Punch, both winners, and On Your Toes, 1998, an unraced daughter of Silver Deputy.