Northern Dancer (horse)

Won Remsen Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
Won Summer Stakes (CAN, 8FT, Fort Erie)
Won Coronation Futurity (CAN, 9FD, Woodbine)
Won Carleton Stakes (CAN, 7FD, Greenwood)
2nd Vandal Stakes (CAN, 6.5FD, Fort Erie)
2nd Cup and Saucer Stakes (CAN, 8.5FT, Woodbine)

1964:

Won Flamingo Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
Won Florida Derby (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs; new track record 2:00)
Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
Won Queen's Plate Stakes (CAN, 10FD, Woodbine)
3rd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)

Honors

National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1976)
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 1976)
Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (inducted in 1998)
Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame (inducted in 2023)
Canadian Horse of the Year (1964)
Canadian champion 2-year-old colt (1963)
American champion 3-year-old male (1964)
Canadian champion 3-year-old male (1964)

Assessments

Northern Dancer was rated #43 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005).

Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1963, 3 pounds below co-champions Raise a Native and Hurry to Market.

Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 2-year-olds of 1963, 5 pounds above second-rated Ramblin Road.

Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1964, 1 pound above Quadrangle and Roman Brother.

Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1964,12 pounds more than second-rated Langcrest and 6 pounds more than champion older male E. Day

As an individual

A small, short-legged, muscular bay horse, Norrthern Dancer had powerful quarters and excellent balance and agility. Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form described Northern Dancer as having "a stride that looks two sizes too big for him but...perfectly controlled." While officially listed at 15.2 hands in his stallion advertisements, most horsemen personally familiar with Northern Dancer estimated his true height as between 15.0 and 15.1 hands. He had an exceptionally dominant personality with a high level of nervous energy and displayed much of the territorial behavior of a wild herd stallion, and he tended to pass his fiery disposition on to his progeny. The one person who seemed consistently able to charm him was Winifred Taylor, who had taken a particular liking to him when he was a foal and always brought him a bag of sugar cubes when she visited him; in turn, the horse would nicker a greeting whenever he saw her and would calm down for her even when inclined to be rambunctious with others.

As a stallion

According to Jockey Club records, Northern Dancer sired 411 winners (63.7%) and 147 stakes winners (22.8%) from 645 named foals. His progeny came in all shapes and sizes (though Charles O'Brien, son of the great Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien, described many of the ones trained at O'Brien's Ballydoyle yard as "piggy little things") but generally had excellent balance and acceleration and a share of his own tremendous will to win. The first North American-based stallion to sire 100 or more stakes winners, Northern Dancer proved an excellent sire of sires and had seven sons that also sired over 100 stakes winners. Northern Dancer is a Brilliant/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.

Sire rankings

Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:

Led the American general sire list in 1971; 4th in 1977; 5th in 1976; 6th in 1970 and 1978.
3rd on the American broodmare sire list in 1989; 6th in 1992; 7th in 1984; 8th in 1983; 10th in 1980.

Per The Blood-Horse:

Led the American general sire list in 1971 and 1977.

Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers);

Led the American general sire list in 1971; 4th in 1977; 5th in 1976; 6th in 1970 and 1978.
Led the American broodmare sire list in 1991; 2nd in 1989; 3rd in 1992; 6th in 1990; 7th in 1984; 8th in 1983; 9th in 1988; 10th in 1980 and 1993.
Led the English/Irish general sire list in 1970, 1970, 1983, and 1984.
3rd on the English/Irish general sire list in 1989; 4th in 1987; 6th in 1992.
2nd on the French general sire list in 1984.
4th on the French broodmare sire list in 1991.
3rd on the Japanese broodmare sire list in 1994; 9th in 1993.

Per Japan Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):

6th on the Japanese broodmare sire list in 1994.

Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):

Led the American general sire list in 1971 and (if international earnings are included) 1977.
Led the American broodmare sire list in 1991.
Led the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1970, 1977, 1983, and 1984.
Led the Irish general sire list in 1970, 1977, 1983, and 1984.

Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):

Led the American general sire list in 1971.

Notable progeny

Ajdal (USA), Be My Guest (USA), Cool Mood (CAN), Dance Act (CAN), Dance Number (USA), Danzig (USA), Dixieland Band (USA), El Gran Senor (USA), Fabulous Dancer (USA), Fairy King (USA), Fanfreluche (CAN), Hero's Honor (USA), Lomond (USA), Lyphard (USA), Minsky (CAN), Night Shift (CAN), Nijinsky II (CAN), Northern Baby (USA), Northern Guest (USA), Northern Jove (USA), Northern Taste (CAN), Northern Trick (USA), Northernette (CAN), Northfields (USA), Nureyev (USA), One for All (USA), Sadler's Wells (USA), Secreto (USA), Shareef Dancer (USA), Sovereign Dancer (USA), Storm Bird (CAN), The Minstrel (CAN), Topsider (USA), Try My Best (USA), Unfuwain (USA), Vice Regent (CAN), Viceregal (CAN), White Star Line (USA), Wild Applause (USA)

Notable progeny of daughters

A Phenomenon (USA), Again Tomorrow (USA), Another Review (USA), Aptitude (USA), Arazi (USA), Armiger (GB), Awaasif (CAN), Belle Chanson (AUS), Biwa Hayahide (JPN), Brief Truce (USA), Close Conflict (USA), Digamist (USA), Eastern Echo (USA), Eillo (USA), Eternity Star (USA), Get Lucky (USA), Grand Luxe (CAN), Kirby Lane (USA), La Voyageuse (CAN), L'Alezane (CAN), Legal Case (IRE), L'Enjoleur (CAN), Magic of Life (USA), Medaille d'Or (CAN), Muhtarram (USA), Narita Brian (JPN), Nedawi (GB), No Review (USA), Norcliffe (CAN), Norquestor (USA), Northern Blossom (CAN), Not for Love (USA), Noverre (USA), Passing Mood (CAN), Ravinella (USA), Rhythm (USA), Roar (USA), Ryafan (USA), Scoot (USA), Seattle Meteor (USA), Share the Fantasy (USA), Sharp Belle (USA), Shy Spirit (CAN), Sleep Easy (USA), Southern Arrow (USA), Southern Halo (USA), Teal (SAF)

Connections

Northern Dancer was bred and owned by E. P. Taylor at Windfields Farm in Ontario, Canada. He was originally consigned to Windfields' second string and trained by Peaches Fleming. After he won the Summer Stakes in his third start, he was taken over by Fleming's boss Horatio Luro, who trained the colt for the rest of his career. Northern Dancer entered stud at Windfields in 1965 and moved to the farm's Maryland division in December 1968, where he died in 1990 after having been pensioned in April 1987. His body was taken back to Canada and buried at his birthplace.

Pedigree notes

Northern Dancer is inbred 4x5 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough. He is a half brother to three other stakes winners and a full brother to Arctic Dancer, dam of 1972 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 2-year-old filly La Prevoyante (by Buckpasser). His dam Natalma is a stakes-placed half sister to stakes winner Cosmah (by Cosmic Bomb), dam of four stakes winners including three-time American champion filly Tosmah (by Tim Tam) and two-time leading American sire Halo (by Hail to Reason). Another half sister to Natalma, Bubbling Beauty (by Hasty Road), produced 1977 Prix Ganay (FR-G1) winner Arctic Tern (by Sea-Bird), the French champion sire of 1986.

Natalma and her siblings were produced from the stakes-winning Mahmoud mare Almahmoud, a full sister to stakes winners Burra Sahib and Dispute and to Avatara, second dam of 1974 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Better Arbitor. Almahmoud, in turn, was produced from the Peace Chance mare Arbitrator, a half sister to the minor stakes winner Gosling (by St. Germans) and to Gooseflesh (by Mad Hatter), second dam of 1953 Comely Handicap winner Home-Made.

The next dam in the tail-female line, Mother Goose (by Chicle), won the 1924 Futurity Stakes and is generally considered the co-champion American juvenile filly of that year with Maud Muller. Mother Goose is a full sister to 1929 American champion 2-year-old male Whichone and is out of Flying Witch, by Broomstick.

Books and media

Northern Dancer: The Legend and His Legacy was written by Muriel Lennox and was published in 1995 by Beach House Books.
The Kingmaker: How Northern Dancer Founded a Racing Dynasty was written by Avalyn Hunter and was published in 2006 by Eclipse Press.
Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack (Larger Than Life) was a children's book written by Gare Joyce. It was published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside in 2011.
Northern Dancer: The Legendary Horse That Inspired a Nation was written by Kevin Chong and was published by Penguin Group Canada in 2014. The book was a finalist for the 2014 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for the year's best book related to horse racing.
“Northern Dancer: A Derby Winner Who Left His Mark Forever” is the 13th chapter in Jim Bolus' Remembering the Derby (1994, Pelican Publishing Company).
Northern Dancer is one of 75 stallions profiled in Tony Morris' Thoroughbred Stallions (1990, The Crowood Press).
Northern Dancer is profiled in Part 5 of Edward Bowen's Dynasties (2000, Eclipse Press).
Northern Dancer is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Northern Dancer is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Northern Dancer is one of 50 Thoroughbreds profiled in Royal Blood: Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds. Written by racing historian Jim Bolus with illustrations and commentary by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves, the book was released by The Blood-Horse, Inc., in 1994.

Fun facts

Northern Dancer was just 2 years, 11 months and 5 days old at the time of his Kentucky Derby win and 2 years, 11 months and 19 days old when he won the Preakness Stakes. The 1964 Belmont Stakes was his first race after his actual third birthday.
Northern Dancer was named Canada's Athlete of the Year for 1964 by a vote of Canada's sports editors and journalists.
Northern Dancer was the first Canadian-bred to win the Kentucky Derby. He remains the only horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Queen's Plate, Canada's most important Classic race.
Northern Dancer was the fourth of a record-tying five Kentucky Derby winners for National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack. Hartack's other winners were Iron Liege (1957), Venetian Way (1960), Decidedly (1962) and Majestic Prince (1969).
Northern Dancer's entry into stud service was ranked #28 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
At the peak of Northern Dancer's stud career, “no guarantee” seasons to the stallion were selling for as much as US$1 million.
At the age of 20, Northern Dancer was the subject of a US$40 million dollar offer from a European syndicate. The offer was turned down.
Although Northern Dancer stood in North America throughout his stud career, he sired three winners of the Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) in England (Nijinsky II, The Minstrel and Secreto) but sired only one Kentucky Derby starter; that runner, Giboulee, finished seventh in 1977.
Northern Dancer is the only winner of an American Triple Crown race to have sired a winner of any of the English Triple Crown races. Aside from his three Derby winners, he sired three winners of the Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) (Nijinsky II, Lomond and El Gran Senor) and one winner of the St. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) (Nijinsky II).
The mating that produced Northern Dancer came about by chance. His dam, Natalma, was sidelined from racing by a knee chip and was mated to Nearctic to help fill out the young stallion's first book. Natalma was the last mare Neartic covered during the season.
Northern Dancer was offered for CAN$25,000 at E. P. Taylor's annual pre-priced yearling sale at Windfields. There were no takers.
After Windfields Farm closed its Maryland operation in 1988, it spent some US$80,000 per year to maintain Northern Dancer as a pensioner until the stallion's death in 1990.
Northern Dancer was honored by a Canadian postage stamp in 1999.
Northern Dancer is the namesake for several roads in Canada, and his statue graces the grounds of Woodbine Racetrack.
Breyer Horses produced a Northern Dancer model (#1494) from 2012 to 2014.
The Niagara Handicap at Woodbine was renamed in Northern Dancer's honor in 2006. Most recently contested as a Grade 1 event over 12 furlongs on turf for horses aged 3 and up, it was discontinued in 2022.
Northern Dancer is one of only two horses inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame. The other is his broodmare sire, Native Dancer, who was inducted in 2014.
Northern Dancer has been celebrated in the arts by a Matthew James musical composition titled “Northern Dancer,” which was composed for and first performed at the 50th anniversary celebration of the horse’s birth at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. His story is also the inspiration for the musical Dancer (A Musical in Ten Furlongs), which won the 2023 Adams Prize for Musical Theatre.
Northern Dancer's gravesite was designated as an Ontario heritage site in 2018.

Last updated: May 9, 2024