Sword Dancer (USA)
April 24, 1956 – November 16, 1984
Sunglow (USA) x Highland Fling (USA), by By Jimminy (USA)
Family 1-o
April 24, 1956 – November 16, 1984
Sunglow (USA) x Highland Fling (USA), by By Jimminy (USA)
Family 1-o
A small, flashy-looking chestnut with plenty of white markings, Sword Dancer gave the lie to the superstition that gaudily marked horses are soft and lack either durability or courage. He was as tough and game as anyone could ask, earning three championship titles as a 3-year-old. He proved an inconsistent sire but got a still better runner and sire in Damascus, continuing the male line of Teddy.
Race record
39 starts, 15 wins, 7 seconds, 4 thirds, US$829,610
1958:
1959:
1960:
Honors
Assessments
Sword Dancer was rated #53 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).
Ranked second among American older males of 1960 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1958, 6 pounds below champion First Landing.
Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1959, 6 pounds above second-rated Tomy Lee.
Rated at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1960, 2 pounds below champion Bald Eagle.
As an individual
Sword Dancer stood 15.3 hands in September of his 3-year-old season. He was a lightly made but well-balanced animal, slightly upright in the shoulder and with somewhat coarse hocks. In nature he was energetic, intelligent, and seemingly eager to please; in competition he was resolute.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Sword Dancer sired 179 winners (60.7%) and 15 stakes winners (5.1%) from 295 foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Damascus (USA), Lady Pitt (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Blitey (USA), The Liberal Member (USA)
Connections
Sword Dancer was bred and owned by Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable. He was trained by Elliott Burch. He was retired after wrenching an ankle while training for the 1960 Washington D.C. International. Sword Dancer entered stud in 1961 at Darby Dan Farm, Lexington, KY. He was leased by a group of French breeders in 1970 and died in France in 1984.
Pedigree notes
Sword Dancer is inbred 4x5 to Fair Play. He is a half brother to Highland Hills (by Mongo), dam of multiple stakes winner Nasty Cub (by Nasty and Bold). His dam Highland Fling is a half sister to stakes winner O'Alison (by Rosemont). The second dam of Sword Dancer, Swing Time (by Royal Minstrel), is a half sister to 1941 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Level Best (by Equipoise), dam of 1953 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Level Lea (by Bull Lea) and fourth dam of 1975 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G2) winner Sun and Snow. She is also a half sister to The Sward (by Sickle), second dam of 1965 New Orleans Handicap winner Valiant Man and third dam of 1965 Belmont Stakes winner Hail to All.
Books and media
Sword Dancer is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. Taken at Jamaica Race Course, New York. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 15, 2023
Race record
39 starts, 15 wins, 7 seconds, 4 thirds, US$829,610
1958:
- Won Mayflower Stakes (USA, 8f+70yD, Suffolk Downs)
- 3rd Garden State Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
1959:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA, 16FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Travers Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 2nd Florida Derby (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
1960:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct; new track record 2:01-3/5)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct; new track record 2:01-1/5)
- Won Grey Lag Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd United Nations Handicap (USA, 9.5FT, Atlantic City)
- 3rd Man o' War Stakes (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977)
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- American Horse of the Year (1959)
- American champion 3-year-old colt (1959)
- American co-champion handicap male (1959)
Assessments
Sword Dancer was rated #53 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).
Ranked second among American older males of 1960 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1958, 6 pounds below champion First Landing.
Highweighted at 132 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1959, 6 pounds above second-rated Tomy Lee.
Rated at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1960, 2 pounds below champion Bald Eagle.
As an individual
Sword Dancer stood 15.3 hands in September of his 3-year-old season. He was a lightly made but well-balanced animal, slightly upright in the shoulder and with somewhat coarse hocks. In nature he was energetic, intelligent, and seemingly eager to please; in competition he was resolute.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Sword Dancer sired 179 winners (60.7%) and 15 stakes winners (5.1%) from 295 foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1967.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 3rd on the American general sire list in 1967.
Notable progeny
Damascus (USA), Lady Pitt (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Blitey (USA), The Liberal Member (USA)
Connections
Sword Dancer was bred and owned by Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable. He was trained by Elliott Burch. He was retired after wrenching an ankle while training for the 1960 Washington D.C. International. Sword Dancer entered stud in 1961 at Darby Dan Farm, Lexington, KY. He was leased by a group of French breeders in 1970 and died in France in 1984.
Pedigree notes
Sword Dancer is inbred 4x5 to Fair Play. He is a half brother to Highland Hills (by Mongo), dam of multiple stakes winner Nasty Cub (by Nasty and Bold). His dam Highland Fling is a half sister to stakes winner O'Alison (by Rosemont). The second dam of Sword Dancer, Swing Time (by Royal Minstrel), is a half sister to 1941 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Level Best (by Equipoise), dam of 1953 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Level Lea (by Bull Lea) and fourth dam of 1975 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G2) winner Sun and Snow. She is also a half sister to The Sward (by Sickle), second dam of 1965 New Orleans Handicap winner Valiant Man and third dam of 1965 Belmont Stakes winner Hail to All.
Books and media
Sword Dancer is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Sword Dancer was the first of three champions trained by Hall of Fame trainer Elliot Burch.
- The Sword Dancer Handicap was inaugurated in 1975. Originally a 6-furlong dirt sprint for 3-year-olds, it is currently a Grade 1 race on turf for ages 3 and up over 1½ miles at Saratoga.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. Taken at Jamaica Race Course, New York. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 15, 2023