Northernette (CAN)
March 4, 1974 – c. 1999
Northern Dancer (CAN) x South Ocean (CAN), by New Providence (CAN)
Family 4-j
March 4, 1974 – c. 1999
Northern Dancer (CAN) x South Ocean (CAN), by New Providence (CAN)
Family 4-j
Northernette did not achieve as high an international profile as her younger full brother Storm Bird, but she was a good race mare who earned two championships in Canada and was a Grade 1 winner in the United States as well. She was also a good broodmare.
Race record
33 starts, 13 wins, 11 seconds, 3 thirds, US$404,914 (including Canadian earnings)
1976:
1977:
1978:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juveniles of 1976, 1 pound above second-rated filly Loudrangle.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for fillies and mares of 1977, 1 pound below champion older female Reasonable Win (a 5-year-old) but 5 pounds above the next highest-rated 3-year-old filly, Fairly Regal.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American-raced 3-year-old fillies of 1977, 8 pounds below champion Our Mims.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American-raced older females of 1978, 4 pounds below champion Late Bloomer.
As an individual
A bay mare, Northernette was courageous and determined on the track.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Northernette produced 15 named foals of which 12 started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Canada, Northernette was bred by E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm. She was owned by Syl Asadoorian, who bought the filly for US$50,000 from the 1975 Saratoga yearling sale, and was trained by Jerry Meyer. Following the 1977 Saratoga meeting, Asadoorian and his partner Sam Cosentino sold a controlling interest in Northernette for US$200,000 to Peter Brant, who moved her to the barn of Frank Whiteley Jr.. She was ridden to her Canadian Oaks score by Avelino Gomez. She began her broodmare career as Brant’s property but, after producing four foals, was sold to Swettenham Stud and partners, which bred three more foals from her before selling her on. Her final eight foals were produced for the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Holdings.
Pedigree notes
Northernette is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to 1980 English and Irish champion 2-year-old male Storm Bird, an important sire, and to stakes-placed South Sea Dancer, dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Signal Tap (by Fappiano); second dam of six stakes winners including Grade 2 winner Cool Coal Man and English Group 3 winner Winter Romance; and third dam of 2010/2011 Chilean champion sprinter Desert Power. Another full sister to Northernette, Oceana, is the dam of multiple Japanese stakes winner Biwa Shinseiki (by Forty Niner), the second dam of three stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Lindsey Jean, and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Indian Ocean.
Northernette is also a half sister to stakes winners Let’s Go South (by Northern Dancer’s champion son One for All) aot Ocean's Answer (by the Northern Dancer horse Northern Answer). The last-named mare is the second dam of nine stakes winners including 1994 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner Green Tune, 1996 Shadwell Stud Cheveley Park Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Pas de Reponse, and French Group 2 winner Didyme and is the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner A. P, Warrior, multiple Australian Group 2 winner Whispering Brook, French Group 3 winner Snowday and 2007 Jamaican champion imported 3-year-old male Who’s Stayin On. Northernette is also a half sister to stakes-placed Stormette (by Assert), dam of 1998 Hollywood Turf Handicap (USA-G1) winner Storm Trooper and multiple Group 3 winner Marillette (both by Diesis) and third dam of Grade 3 winners Stupendous Miss and Closing Range.
Northernette's dam South Ocean won the 1970 Canadian Oaks and is a half sister to Belles Oreilles (by Nentego), second dam of New Zealand Group 3 winner Prieur Way, and to Canadian Sun (by Canebora), dam of stakes winner Canadian Babe (by Northern Answer). The next dam in the tail-female line, Shining Sun (by Chop Chop), is a full sister to 1958 Breeders' Stakes winner Dr. Em Jay and a half sister to stakes winners Men At Play (by Ménétrier), Solar Park (by Chop Chop's champion son Victoria Park) and Solometeor (by Victoria Park).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 6, 2023
Race record
33 starts, 13 wins, 11 seconds, 3 thirds, US$404,914 (including Canadian earnings)
1976:
- Won Mazarine Stakes (CAN, 8FD, Greenwood)
- 2nd Princess Elizabeth Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
1977:
- Won Chrysanthemum Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Laurel)
- Won Canadian Oaks (CAN, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Selene Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Fury Stakes (second division) (CAN, 7FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Firenze Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Queen's Plate (CAN, 10FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Bison City Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Star Shoot Stakes (CAN, 6FD, Woodbine)
- 3rd Test Stakes (first division) (USA-G3, 7FD, Saratoga)
1978:
- Won Top Flight Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Apple Blossom Handicap (USA-G2, 8F+70yD, Oaklawn Park)
- 2nd Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Black Helen Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hialeah)
Honors
- Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1987)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 2-year-old filly (1976)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly (1977)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juveniles of 1976, 1 pound above second-rated filly Loudrangle.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for fillies and mares of 1977, 1 pound below champion older female Reasonable Win (a 5-year-old) but 5 pounds above the next highest-rated 3-year-old filly, Fairly Regal.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American-raced 3-year-old fillies of 1977, 8 pounds below champion Our Mims.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American-raced older females of 1978, 4 pounds below champion Late Bloomer.
As an individual
A bay mare, Northernette was courageous and determined on the track.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Northernette produced 15 named foals of which 12 started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Gold Crest (1982, by Mr. Prospector) won the 1984 Panasonic Beresford Stakes (IRE-G2). He sired eight stakes winners, none of great significance.
- Scoot (1983, by Mr. Prospector) won the 1986 Flower Bowl Handicap (USA-G1). She is the second dam of Chilean Group 3 winner Individual Dance.
- Wyndalia (1987, by Seattle Slew) placed second once from two starts. She is the second dam of English Group 2 winner Sendmylovetorose and the third dam of 2012/2013 Brazilian champion older male Didimo, 2018 Grande Prêmio O.S.A.F. (BRZ-G1) winner La Vie En Rose, and Brazilian Group 2 winner Cromwell.
- Fextal (1989, by Alleged) never raced but is the third dam of Grade 3 winner Big Bend.
- Midnight Oasis (1993, by Java Gold) won one of her five starts. She is the dam of Group 2-placed listed stakes winner Tosho Knight (by Timber Country).
- Limbo (1996, by A.P. Indy) placed third twice from four starts. She is the dam of open stakes winner Back Forty (by Speightstown) and multiple restricted stakes winner Gentleman Chester (by Chester House).
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Canada, Northernette was bred by E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm. She was owned by Syl Asadoorian, who bought the filly for US$50,000 from the 1975 Saratoga yearling sale, and was trained by Jerry Meyer. Following the 1977 Saratoga meeting, Asadoorian and his partner Sam Cosentino sold a controlling interest in Northernette for US$200,000 to Peter Brant, who moved her to the barn of Frank Whiteley Jr.. She was ridden to her Canadian Oaks score by Avelino Gomez. She began her broodmare career as Brant’s property but, after producing four foals, was sold to Swettenham Stud and partners, which bred three more foals from her before selling her on. Her final eight foals were produced for the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Holdings.
Pedigree notes
Northernette is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to 1980 English and Irish champion 2-year-old male Storm Bird, an important sire, and to stakes-placed South Sea Dancer, dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Signal Tap (by Fappiano); second dam of six stakes winners including Grade 2 winner Cool Coal Man and English Group 3 winner Winter Romance; and third dam of 2010/2011 Chilean champion sprinter Desert Power. Another full sister to Northernette, Oceana, is the dam of multiple Japanese stakes winner Biwa Shinseiki (by Forty Niner), the second dam of three stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Lindsey Jean, and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Indian Ocean.
Northernette is also a half sister to stakes winners Let’s Go South (by Northern Dancer’s champion son One for All) aot Ocean's Answer (by the Northern Dancer horse Northern Answer). The last-named mare is the second dam of nine stakes winners including 1994 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner Green Tune, 1996 Shadwell Stud Cheveley Park Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Pas de Reponse, and French Group 2 winner Didyme and is the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner A. P, Warrior, multiple Australian Group 2 winner Whispering Brook, French Group 3 winner Snowday and 2007 Jamaican champion imported 3-year-old male Who’s Stayin On. Northernette is also a half sister to stakes-placed Stormette (by Assert), dam of 1998 Hollywood Turf Handicap (USA-G1) winner Storm Trooper and multiple Group 3 winner Marillette (both by Diesis) and third dam of Grade 3 winners Stupendous Miss and Closing Range.
Northernette's dam South Ocean won the 1970 Canadian Oaks and is a half sister to Belles Oreilles (by Nentego), second dam of New Zealand Group 3 winner Prieur Way, and to Canadian Sun (by Canebora), dam of stakes winner Canadian Babe (by Northern Answer). The next dam in the tail-female line, Shining Sun (by Chop Chop), is a full sister to 1958 Breeders' Stakes winner Dr. Em Jay and a half sister to stakes winners Men At Play (by Ménétrier), Solar Park (by Chop Chop's champion son Victoria Park) and Solometeor (by Victoria Park).
Fun facts
- Syl Asadoorian had initially bought a Dr. Fager colt from Windfields through the 1975 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Sale, but E. P. Taylor graciously took the colt back and refunded the purchase price when the colt turned out to have a chronic digestive disorder. Asadoorian used the refund to buy Northernette, making the only bid on the future champion.
- Northernette’s 11-length margin in the 1977 Canadian Oaks was a record for the race until Avowal won by 13 lengths in 1982.
- Northernette was the namesake for a stakes race at Woodbine.
Last updated: January 6, 2023