Dancer's Image (USA)
April 10, 1965 – December 25, 1992
Native Dancer (USA) x Noors Image (USA), by Noor (IRE)
Family 4-r
April 10, 1965 – December 25, 1992
Native Dancer (USA) x Noors Image (USA), by Noor (IRE)
Family 4-r
A talented colt known for his come-from-behind charges, Dancer's Image bears the unfortunate distinction of being the first horse to be disqualified from victory in an American Triple Crown race. It took five years of litigation through the courts to settle the race results of the “Drug Store Derby” of 1968 after Dancer's Image was initially disqualified for a post-race finding of the anti-inflammatory medication phenylbutazone (“Bute”) in his urine. The controversy was further fueled by owner Peter Fuller's suspicion that the colt's test had been tampered with because of his own support of civil rights issues, which included a generous donation of the winner's purse from the Governor's Gold Cup to Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ironically, by the time the court case was settled, the same Bute level in a post-race sample would have been legal in Kentucky due to changes in the state's racing rules. Dancer's Image's notoriety outlasted his racing career by a wide margin as he was again disqualified (this time for interference) following a third-place finish in the Preakness Stakes and never raced again. He was a moderately successful sire but often passed on soundness issues.
Race record
24 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 1 thirds, US$236,636
1967:
1968:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1967, 11 pounds below champion Vitriolic.
Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juveniles of 1967, 1 pound above second-rated Gadget Man.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1968, 4 pounds below divisional co-champion and highweight Stage Door Johnny and 3 pounds below the other official co-champion, Forward Pass.
As an individual
A gray, Dancer's Image stood 15.3 hands as a 3-year-old. He was a late-running horse whose racing career was impacted by bad ankles. Overall, he was muscular and well balanced with extremely powerful hindquarters, a good shoulder, short cannons and good bone. He was initially raced in blinkers but proved far more effective after they were removed. He was described as "a big, strong horse with a bit of attitude" by groom Dan Rosenberg. As a stallion, he had a distinct preference for gray mares. He also liked mint candies, and his Japanese owner, Yukiko Hayata, would buy souvenir mints for his beloved stallion whenever he visited Kentucky.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Dancer's Image sired 251 winners (37.4%%) and 31 stakes winners (4.6%) from 671 named foals. Despite his own staying ability, he was best known as a sire of sprinters. He tended to pass on his own weak ankles.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Japan Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
Notable progeny
Godswalk (USA), Lianga (USA), Saritamer (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Dancer's Image was bred and owned by Peter Fuller, who bought him back for US$26,000 from the 1966 Hialeah yearling sale at his wife Joan's urging after initially consigning the colt due to trainer Lou Cavalaris, Jr.'s concerns about the colt's weak ankles. Cavaleris remained the trainer after the buy-back but was later criticized for putting Dancer's Image through a tough 15-race campaign as a juvenile, which may have contributed to an ankle injury suffered in the colt's first race at 3. (The injury never completely healed and eventually forced the colt's retirement.) Dancer's Image was disqualified from victory in the 1968 Kentucky Derby due to traces of Bute (then illegal as a race-day medication in Kentucky) found in his post-race urine sample. He entered stud at Glade Valley Farm in Maryland in 1969. He was sent to Killeen Castle Stud in Ireland in 1974, went to Haras du Quesnay France in 1977, and finally went to Japan in 1979, where he last stood at Koichiro and Yukiko Hayata's C. B. Stud on the island of Hokkaido. During this last part of his career, he covered both Thoroughbred and Anglo-Arab mares. According to his obituary in Thoroughbred Times, Dancer's Image died of colic in Japan on December 25, 1992.
Pedigree notes
Dancer's Image is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to stakes winner Sailing Chance (by Sailing Away) and to Captain Chacha (by Captain Morgan), dam of stakes winner O. B. Green (by Green Ticket). His dam Noors Image is a stakes-placed half sister to stakes winners Equichall (by Equifox), Captor (by Djeddah), and Glad (by General Staff; dam of stakes winner and multiple stakes producer Frond, by Hawaii). She is also a half sister to The Ghizeh (by Questionnaire), dam of 1967 American champion steeplechaser Quick Pitch (by Charlevoix), and to Sphinxlike, dam of 1966 Canadian Oaks winner Northern Minx (by Nearctic; dam of three Canadian stakes winners) and stakes winner Denim King (by Halo). The second dam of Dancer's Image, Little Sphinx (by Challenger II) is a winning full sister to stakes winners Savage Beauty (dam of stakes winner Femme Fatale, by Discovery, and second dam of the important sires Habitat and Northfields) and Aethelwold and to stakes producers Chalara and Kharessa, all out of the Kai-Sang mare Khara.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: July 11, 2023
Race record
24 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 1 thirds, US$236,636
1967:
- Won Maryland Futurity (USA, 7FD, Laurel)
- Won Clarendon Stakes (CAN, 7FD, Greenwood; new track record 1:24)
- Won Vandal Stakes (CAN, 5.5FD, Fort Erie)
- Won Grey Handicap (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Marylander Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- 2nd To Market Stakes (first division) (USA, 6.5FD, Hawthorne)
1968:
- Won Wood Memorial Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Governor's Gold Cup Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- Won E. Palmer Heagerty Stakes (USA, 7FD, Bowie)
- 2nd Laurel New Year's Handicap (USA, 8FD, Laurel)
- 3rd Prince George's Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- Also finished first in the Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs) but was disqualified
- Also finished 3rd in the Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico) but was disqualified.
Honors
- Canadian champion 2-year-old male (1967)
- Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old male (1967)
- Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old male (1968)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1967, 11 pounds below champion Vitriolic.
Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juveniles of 1967, 1 pound above second-rated Gadget Man.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1968, 4 pounds below divisional co-champion and highweight Stage Door Johnny and 3 pounds below the other official co-champion, Forward Pass.
As an individual
A gray, Dancer's Image stood 15.3 hands as a 3-year-old. He was a late-running horse whose racing career was impacted by bad ankles. Overall, he was muscular and well balanced with extremely powerful hindquarters, a good shoulder, short cannons and good bone. He was initially raced in blinkers but proved far more effective after they were removed. He was described as "a big, strong horse with a bit of attitude" by groom Dan Rosenberg. As a stallion, he had a distinct preference for gray mares. He also liked mint candies, and his Japanese owner, Yukiko Hayata, would buy souvenir mints for his beloved stallion whenever he visited Kentucky.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Dancer's Image sired 251 winners (37.4%%) and 31 stakes winners (4.6%) from 671 named foals. Despite his own staying ability, he was best known as a sire of sprinters. He tended to pass on his own weak ankles.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the Japanese broodmare sire list in 1998; 8th in 1997; 10th in 1995 and 1999.
Per Japan Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
- 9th on the Japanese broodmare sire list in 2000; 10th in 1995 and 1999.
- Led the Japanese juvenile sire list in 1983.
Notable progeny
Godswalk (USA), Lianga (USA), Saritamer (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Dancer's Image was bred and owned by Peter Fuller, who bought him back for US$26,000 from the 1966 Hialeah yearling sale at his wife Joan's urging after initially consigning the colt due to trainer Lou Cavalaris, Jr.'s concerns about the colt's weak ankles. Cavaleris remained the trainer after the buy-back but was later criticized for putting Dancer's Image through a tough 15-race campaign as a juvenile, which may have contributed to an ankle injury suffered in the colt's first race at 3. (The injury never completely healed and eventually forced the colt's retirement.) Dancer's Image was disqualified from victory in the 1968 Kentucky Derby due to traces of Bute (then illegal as a race-day medication in Kentucky) found in his post-race urine sample. He entered stud at Glade Valley Farm in Maryland in 1969. He was sent to Killeen Castle Stud in Ireland in 1974, went to Haras du Quesnay France in 1977, and finally went to Japan in 1979, where he last stood at Koichiro and Yukiko Hayata's C. B. Stud on the island of Hokkaido. During this last part of his career, he covered both Thoroughbred and Anglo-Arab mares. According to his obituary in Thoroughbred Times, Dancer's Image died of colic in Japan on December 25, 1992.
Pedigree notes
Dancer's Image is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to stakes winner Sailing Chance (by Sailing Away) and to Captain Chacha (by Captain Morgan), dam of stakes winner O. B. Green (by Green Ticket). His dam Noors Image is a stakes-placed half sister to stakes winners Equichall (by Equifox), Captor (by Djeddah), and Glad (by General Staff; dam of stakes winner and multiple stakes producer Frond, by Hawaii). She is also a half sister to The Ghizeh (by Questionnaire), dam of 1967 American champion steeplechaser Quick Pitch (by Charlevoix), and to Sphinxlike, dam of 1966 Canadian Oaks winner Northern Minx (by Nearctic; dam of three Canadian stakes winners) and stakes winner Denim King (by Halo). The second dam of Dancer's Image, Little Sphinx (by Challenger II) is a winning full sister to stakes winners Savage Beauty (dam of stakes winner Femme Fatale, by Discovery, and second dam of the important sires Habitat and Northfields) and Aethelwold and to stakes producers Chalara and Kharessa, all out of the Kai-Sang mare Khara.
Books and media
- Dancer's Image: The Forgotten Story of the 1968 Kentucky Derby was written by Milton C. Toby and was released by The History Press in 2011. The Kindle version was named an Amazon Editors' Favorite Book of the Year for 2014.
- HRTV aired a one-hour program on the controversy surrounding Dancer's Image's Derby disqualification on July 14, 2013 as part of its Inside Information series.
- "A Touch of Derby in the Orient," which followed up on the Japanese stud careers of Dancer's Image, Forward Pass and Sunday Silence, is the ninth chapter in Jim Bolus' Kentucky Derby Stories (1993, Pelican Publishing Company).
Fun facts
- Dancer's Image's Derby disqualification was ranked #60 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
- Dancer's Image's Derby disqualification was named the top sports story of 1968 by Sports Illustrated.
- Despite the disqualification and the subsequent court decision, the Kentucky Derby media guide still includes the official chart showing Dancer's Image as the winner of the 1968 Kentucky Derby. Its position is supported by Sports Illustrated, which pointed out in a 1968 article that Kentucky rules provided for disqualification from purse money but not from a placing in the event of a drug positive.
- Another irony of Dancer's Image's Derby disqualification is that Forward Pass, declared the winner after the disqualification, was not himself tested for drugs following the race; in fact, the only other horse to be tested was the fifth-place finisher, Kentucky Sherry.
- Following the disqualification of Dancer's Image, Peter Fuller still retained one thing: the golden Kentucky Derby trophy. He had taken it home to be engraved and was never asked to give it back.
- Alex Harthill, the veterinarian attending Dancer's Image, was fined US$500 for his odd actions during the investigation following Dancer's Image's Derby drug positive. (According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Harthill and another trainer had put a white granular substance in the colt's feed, allegedly to test the honesty of trainer Lou Cavalaris.) Harthill survived the flap to become known as the "Derby Doc," caring for 27 Kentucky Derby winners at one time or another during the course of his career.
- Dancer's Image was initially named “Alvan T.” in honor of Peter Fuller's late father. The name was changed when Dancer's Image was a yearling.
- Noors Image, the dam of Dancer's Image, was claimed by Fuller for just US$5,000 in 1958.
Last updated: July 11, 2023