Northern Spur (IRE)
April 16, 1991 – February 2016
Sadler's Wells (USA) x Fruition (IRE), by Rheingold (GB)
Family 2-f
April 16, 1991 – February 2016
Sadler's Wells (USA) x Fruition (IRE), by Rheingold (GB)
Family 2-f
A second-tier horse at best in Europe, Northern Spur put together back-to-back Grade 1 wins in the fall of his 4-year-old season to claim an American championship in a weak year for the turf division. In part because of the long-standing North American bias against stamina-laden turf runners as sires, he got poor opportunities at stud for a horse of championship caliber, and his 1998 foal crop of 22 named foals was easily his largest. Not surprisingly, he failed as a sire.
Race record
15 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,614,425 (including converted French earnings)
1994:
1995:
1996:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1995)
As an individual
A bay, Northern Spur had a pleasant, sociable disposition and often enjoyed the company of a gelding as a paddock companion. He preferred to cruise on or near the lead when racing.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Northern Spur had sired 56 winners (52.3%) and two stakes winners (1.9%) from 107 named foals as of the time of his death. The Blood-Horse credits him with four stakes winners (3.7%). His stud career was hampered by lack of quality and quantity in his mates, and his fertility became increasingly poor after his first few seasons in the stud. Northern Spur's best runner was Grade 3 winner Chausson Poire.
Connections
Northern Spur was bred by Swettenham Stud in partnership with Barry Weisbord, Tommy Stack and John Magnier. In Europe, he raced for his breeders and Takahiro Wada. He was trained by Andre Fabre. Following the colt's 3-year-old season, Charles J. Cella purchased Northern Spur for US$1.3 million with trainer Ron McAnally as agent; McAnally trained the colt afterward. Northern Spur entered stud in Kentucky in 1997 at Longfield Farm. He moved to True North Farm (owned by Annette Bacola and Bob Cummings) near Versailles, Kentucky, in 2005. Bacola and Cummings later moved Northern Spur to New York, where they pensioned him in 2014. They were in the process of negotiating a transfer to the Old Friends equine retirement facility near Georgetown, Kentucky, when Northern Spur died of colic in 2016.
Pedigree notes
Northern Spur is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion sire Nearco and 5x5 to six-time English champion sire Hyperion. He is a half brother to 1991 Doncaster Cup (ENG-G3) winner Great Marquess (by Touching Wood), to 1988 Jockey Club Cup Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Kneller (by Lomond) and to German stakes winner Oenothera (by Night Shift; dam of English Group 3 winner Sundrop, by Sunday Silence). He is also a half brother to Heaven Only Knows (by High Top), dam of 2000 Gallinule Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Glyndebourne (by Sadler's Wells) and Italian stakes winner L'ereditiera (by Alzao); to Deloraine (by Pharly), second dam of English Group 3 winner Astrocharm; and to Tamarino (by Caerleon), second dam of 2013 New Zealand Oaks (NZ-G1) winner More Than Sacred.
Fruition, the dam of Northern Spur, was stakes-placed in England. A daughter of 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FR-G1) winner Rheingold and the Welsh Pageant mare Welsh Flame, she is a half sister to multiple Group 2 winner Flame of Tara (by Artaius), an excellent broodmare whose foals include triple European Classic winner Salsabil (by Sadler's Wells), 1991 St. James's Palace Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Marju (by Last Tycoon), Group 3 winner Danse Royale (by Caerleon), Irish Group 3 winner Flame of Athens (by Royal Academy) and stakes winner Song of Tara (by Sadler's Wells). Flame of Tara is also the second dam of eight stakes winners including Grade/Group 2 winners Sahm, Echo of Light and Essential Edge and Group 3 winners Blushing Flame, Alabaq and Bint Salsabil. Fruition is also a half sister to stakes-placed Welsh Love (by Ela-Mana-Mou), dam of 1997 Grand Criterium (FR-G1) winner Second Empire (by Fairy King), Irish Group 3 winner Balestrini (by Danehill) and stakes winners Ajhiba (by Barathea; dam of English Group 3 winner Belenus, by Dubai Millennium), Hemingway (by Spectrum) and Ihtiram (by Royal Academy). The female family traces back to the 20th-century English foundation mare Aloe.
Books and media
Footage of Northern Spur's victory in the 1996 Breeders' Cup Turf can be accessed through the Breeders' Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/northern-spur-ire).
Fun facts
Last updated: June 16, 2021
Race record
15 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,614,425 (including converted French earnings)
1994:
- Won Prix Hubert de Chaudenay (FR-G2, 3000mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix du Lys (FR-G3, 2800mT, Chantilly)
- 2nd Prix Niel (FR-G2, 2400mT. Longchamp)
- 2nd Prix de Lutèce (FR-G3, 3000mT, Longchamp)
- 3rd Prix de l'Avre (FR-L, 2400mT, Longchamp)
1995:
- Won Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- Won Oak Tree Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Eddie Read Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Del Mar)
1996:
- 2nd Hollywood Turf Handicap (USA-G1, 10FT, Hollywood)
- 3rd Caesars International Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FT, Atlantic City)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1995)
As an individual
A bay, Northern Spur had a pleasant, sociable disposition and often enjoyed the company of a gelding as a paddock companion. He preferred to cruise on or near the lead when racing.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Northern Spur had sired 56 winners (52.3%) and two stakes winners (1.9%) from 107 named foals as of the time of his death. The Blood-Horse credits him with four stakes winners (3.7%). His stud career was hampered by lack of quality and quantity in his mates, and his fertility became increasingly poor after his first few seasons in the stud. Northern Spur's best runner was Grade 3 winner Chausson Poire.
Connections
Northern Spur was bred by Swettenham Stud in partnership with Barry Weisbord, Tommy Stack and John Magnier. In Europe, he raced for his breeders and Takahiro Wada. He was trained by Andre Fabre. Following the colt's 3-year-old season, Charles J. Cella purchased Northern Spur for US$1.3 million with trainer Ron McAnally as agent; McAnally trained the colt afterward. Northern Spur entered stud in Kentucky in 1997 at Longfield Farm. He moved to True North Farm (owned by Annette Bacola and Bob Cummings) near Versailles, Kentucky, in 2005. Bacola and Cummings later moved Northern Spur to New York, where they pensioned him in 2014. They were in the process of negotiating a transfer to the Old Friends equine retirement facility near Georgetown, Kentucky, when Northern Spur died of colic in 2016.
Pedigree notes
Northern Spur is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion sire Nearco and 5x5 to six-time English champion sire Hyperion. He is a half brother to 1991 Doncaster Cup (ENG-G3) winner Great Marquess (by Touching Wood), to 1988 Jockey Club Cup Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Kneller (by Lomond) and to German stakes winner Oenothera (by Night Shift; dam of English Group 3 winner Sundrop, by Sunday Silence). He is also a half brother to Heaven Only Knows (by High Top), dam of 2000 Gallinule Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Glyndebourne (by Sadler's Wells) and Italian stakes winner L'ereditiera (by Alzao); to Deloraine (by Pharly), second dam of English Group 3 winner Astrocharm; and to Tamarino (by Caerleon), second dam of 2013 New Zealand Oaks (NZ-G1) winner More Than Sacred.
Fruition, the dam of Northern Spur, was stakes-placed in England. A daughter of 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FR-G1) winner Rheingold and the Welsh Pageant mare Welsh Flame, she is a half sister to multiple Group 2 winner Flame of Tara (by Artaius), an excellent broodmare whose foals include triple European Classic winner Salsabil (by Sadler's Wells), 1991 St. James's Palace Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Marju (by Last Tycoon), Group 3 winner Danse Royale (by Caerleon), Irish Group 3 winner Flame of Athens (by Royal Academy) and stakes winner Song of Tara (by Sadler's Wells). Flame of Tara is also the second dam of eight stakes winners including Grade/Group 2 winners Sahm, Echo of Light and Essential Edge and Group 3 winners Blushing Flame, Alabaq and Bint Salsabil. Fruition is also a half sister to stakes-placed Welsh Love (by Ela-Mana-Mou), dam of 1997 Grand Criterium (FR-G1) winner Second Empire (by Fairy King), Irish Group 3 winner Balestrini (by Danehill) and stakes winners Ajhiba (by Barathea; dam of English Group 3 winner Belenus, by Dubai Millennium), Hemingway (by Spectrum) and Ihtiram (by Royal Academy). The female family traces back to the 20th-century English foundation mare Aloe.
Books and media
Footage of Northern Spur's victory in the 1996 Breeders' Cup Turf can be accessed through the Breeders' Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/northern-spur-ire).
Fun facts
- The Northern Spur Stakes is a listed race for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park. As of 2018, it is carded at 8.5 furlongs.
Last updated: June 16, 2021