Dance Smartly (CAN)
April 5, 1988 – August 2007
Danzig (USA) x Classy 'n Smart (CAN), by Smarten (USA)
Family 23-b
April 5, 1988 – August 2007
Danzig (USA) x Classy 'n Smart (CAN), by Smarten (USA)
Family 23-b
Perhaps the most talented filly ever bred in Canada, Dance Smartly went undefeated in 1991. She defeated males four times, sweeping the Canadian Triple Crown and winning the Molson Export Million (CAN-G2), and earned championship honors in the United States by defeating the best American females in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1). She was hampered by physical problems as a 4-year-old but returned to the top as a broodmare, producing back-to-back winners of the Queen's Plate and earning a Sovereign Award as a Broodmare of the Year.
Race record
17 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$3,264,835 (including Canadian earnings)
1990:
1991:
1992:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 125 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1990, 1 pound above second-rated Wilderness Song.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile fillies of 1990, 6 pounds below champion Meadow Star.
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1991, 3 pounds above second-rated Lite Light.
Highweighted at 133 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies of 1991, 5 pounds above second-rated Wilderness Song.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1992, 4 pounds below champion Flawlessly.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf horses of 1992, 5 pounds below highweighted Snurge (a 5-year-old horse) and official divisional champion Rainbows for Life (a 4-year-old colt).
As an individual
A bay mare, Dance Smartly had a long, strong hip and the prominent withers of her dam and granddam. A ligament injury in her right foreleg limited her to four starts as a 4-year-old, all on turf.
As a producer
The Canadian Broodmare of the Year for 2001 and a Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Dance Smartly produced nine named foals, of which six started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Dance Smartly was bred and owned by Sam-Son Farms. She was trained by Jim Day. She was humanely destroyed following a paddock accident in August 2007 and was buried at Sam-Son.
Pedigree notes
Dance Smartly is inbred 4x5 to five-time American leading sire Nasrullah. She is a full sister to Dance Swiftly, dam of Grade 3 winner Speightster (by Speightstown) and listed stakes winners Paiota Falls (by Kris S.) and West Coast Swing (by Gone West). She is a half sister to 1996 Philip H. Iselin Handicap (USA-G1) winner and two-time American champion sire Smart Strike, 2002 Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap (CAN-G1) winner Full of Wonder, and 2002 Chinese Cultual Center Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Strike Smartly, all by Mr. Prospector. She is also a half sister to Seattle Classic (by Seattle Slew), dam of 1999 Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Hello Seattle (by Deputy Minister) and restricted stakes winner Sail From Seattle (by Gone West), a Group 1 sire in South Africa. Seattle Classic is also the third dam of 2019 Canadian champion turf male El Tormenta and Grade 3 winner Zero Tolerance.
Dance Smartly's dam Classy 'n Smart won the 1984 Canadian Oaks and was named the Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of that year. Her exploits as a broodmare made her Canada's Broodmare of the Year in 1991. She was the first of six stakes winners and four champions produced by Sam-Son Farm's remarkable foundation mare No Class (by Nodouble). No Class's other champions were 1985 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Grey Classic (by Grey Dawn II), 1987 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Regal Classic (by Vice Regent), and Sky Classic (by Nijinsky II), winner of three championships in Canada and champion turf horse in the United States in 1992. Also the dam of 1997 Early Times Turf Classic (USA-G1) winner Always a Classic (by Deputy Minister) and multiple stakes winner Classic Reign (by Vice Regent), No Class was the Canadian Broodmare of the Year for 1985.
Books and media
Video of Dance Smartly's win in the 1991 Breeders' Cup Distaff can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roWfFLS7QOc.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 31, 2022
Race record
17 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$3,264,835 (including Canadian earnings)
1990:
- Won Natalma Stakes (first division) (CAN-L, 8FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd Ontario Debutante Stakes (CAN-R, 6FD, Woodbine)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
1991:
- Won Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Molson Export Million Stakes (CAN-G2, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Selene Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Star Shoot Stakes (CAN-L, 6FD, Woodbine)
- Won Queen's Plate (CAN-R, 10FD, Woodbine)
- Won Prince of Wales Stakes (CAN-R, 9.5FD, Fort Erie)
- Won Breeders' Stakes (CAN-R, 12FT, Woodbine)
- Won Canadian Oaks (CAN-R, 9FD, Woodbine)
1992:
- Won Canadian Maturity Stakes (CAN-R, 10FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd King Edward Gold Cup Handicap (CAN-G3, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Beverly D. Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FT, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Arlington Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FT, Arlington Park)
Honors
- Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1995)
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2003)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian Horse of the Year (1991)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 2-year-old filly (1990)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly (1991)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old filly (1991)
Assessments
Highweighted at 125 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1990, 1 pound above second-rated Wilderness Song.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile fillies of 1990, 6 pounds below champion Meadow Star.
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1991, 3 pounds above second-rated Lite Light.
Highweighted at 133 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies of 1991, 5 pounds above second-rated Wilderness Song.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1992, 4 pounds below champion Flawlessly.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf horses of 1992, 5 pounds below highweighted Snurge (a 5-year-old horse) and official divisional champion Rainbows for Life (a 4-year-old colt).
As an individual
A bay mare, Dance Smartly had a long, strong hip and the prominent withers of her dam and granddam. A ligament injury in her right foreleg limited her to four starts as a 4-year-old, all on turf.
As a producer
The Canadian Broodmare of the Year for 2001 and a Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Dance Smartly produced nine named foals, of which six started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Scatter the Gold (1997, by Mr. Prospector) won the 2000 Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes but was third in the Breeders' Stakes in his bid to emulate his dam's sweep of the Canadian Triple Crown. He was exported to Japan in 2001 and was later sent on to Russia.
- Dancethruthedawn (1998, by Mr. Prospector) won the 2001 Lablatt Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate and the 2001 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1). The Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of 2000, she is the second dam of 2014 Whitney Handicap (USA-G1) winner Moreno and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Dance Again.
- Dance With Ravens (2002, by A.P. Indy) won the 2004 Grey Breeders' Cup Stakes (CAN-G2). He stood at stud in Maryland in 2006-2015 before being exported to Saudi Arabia.
- Dancethruthestorm (2003, by Thunder Gulch) never raced but is the dam of Canadian stakes winner Grand Style (by Giant's Causeway) and 2020 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Danceforthecause (by Giant's Causeway). Through the last-named mare, Dancethruthestorm is the second dam of 2020 Canadian champion turf male Say the Word and Grade 2 winner Rideforthecause.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Dance Smartly was bred and owned by Sam-Son Farms. She was trained by Jim Day. She was humanely destroyed following a paddock accident in August 2007 and was buried at Sam-Son.
Pedigree notes
Dance Smartly is inbred 4x5 to five-time American leading sire Nasrullah. She is a full sister to Dance Swiftly, dam of Grade 3 winner Speightster (by Speightstown) and listed stakes winners Paiota Falls (by Kris S.) and West Coast Swing (by Gone West). She is a half sister to 1996 Philip H. Iselin Handicap (USA-G1) winner and two-time American champion sire Smart Strike, 2002 Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap (CAN-G1) winner Full of Wonder, and 2002 Chinese Cultual Center Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Strike Smartly, all by Mr. Prospector. She is also a half sister to Seattle Classic (by Seattle Slew), dam of 1999 Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Hello Seattle (by Deputy Minister) and restricted stakes winner Sail From Seattle (by Gone West), a Group 1 sire in South Africa. Seattle Classic is also the third dam of 2019 Canadian champion turf male El Tormenta and Grade 3 winner Zero Tolerance.
Dance Smartly's dam Classy 'n Smart won the 1984 Canadian Oaks and was named the Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of that year. Her exploits as a broodmare made her Canada's Broodmare of the Year in 1991. She was the first of six stakes winners and four champions produced by Sam-Son Farm's remarkable foundation mare No Class (by Nodouble). No Class's other champions were 1985 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Grey Classic (by Grey Dawn II), 1987 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Regal Classic (by Vice Regent), and Sky Classic (by Nijinsky II), winner of three championships in Canada and champion turf horse in the United States in 1992. Also the dam of 1997 Early Times Turf Classic (USA-G1) winner Always a Classic (by Deputy Minister) and multiple stakes winner Classic Reign (by Vice Regent), No Class was the Canadian Broodmare of the Year for 1985.
Books and media
Video of Dance Smartly's win in the 1991 Breeders' Cup Distaff can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roWfFLS7QOc.
Fun facts
- Dance Smartly is one of eight fillies to have won both the Woodbine (or Canadian) Oaks and the Queen's Plate. The others are Flaming Page (1962), La Lorgnette (1985), Dancethruthedawn (2001), Inglorious (2011), Lexie Lou (2014), Holy Helena (2017), and Moira (2022).
- Dance Smartly was the first Canadian-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race.
- Dance Smartly was the world's leading money-winning filly at the time of her retirement.
- Dance Smartly represented the third consecutive generation of her female line to win Canadian Broodmare of the Year honors. She is also one of only two mares to earn honors in North America as both a Horse of the Year and a Broodmare of the Year; the other is Fanfreluche, who was Canada's Horse of the Year in 1970 and Canadian Broodmare of the Year in 1978.
- The Dance Smartly Stakes was inaugurated in 1998 at Woodbine, replacing the Woodbine Breeders' Cup Handicap on the calendar. A Grade 2 event, it is currently carded as a 8.5-furlong turf race for fillies and mares aged 3 and up.
- Dance Smartly's barn name was "Daisy," a name given to her as a foal because of the shape of the star on her forehead.
Last updated: December 31, 2022