Topsider (USA)
March 15, 1974 – October 18, 1992
Northern Dancer (CAN) x Drumtop (USA), by Round Table (USA)
Family 5-h
March 15, 1974 – October 18, 1992
Northern Dancer (CAN) x Drumtop (USA), by Round Table (USA)
Family 5-h
On paper, Topsider was bred to be a staying turf runner. He defied expectations by becoming a dirt sprinter instead. As a stallion, he became a good sire who got a lot of stakes winners, but few of his progeny approached top class. Accordingly, he is not generally accounted among Northern Dancer’s top sons at stud.
Race record
17 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$125,060
1978:
1979:
Assessments
Rated at 112 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1978, 20 pounds below co-champion J. O. Tobin. (The other co-champion sprinter, Dr. Patches, was rated at 119 pounds in the older male category).
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1979, 11 pounds below champion Star de Naskra.
As an individual
A bay horse of the Northern Dancer type, Topsider stood 15.3 hands. He was well-balanced and had good bone for his size.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Topsider sired 354 winners (73.0%) and 60 stakes winners (12.4%) from 485 named foals. Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (Churchill, Reichard and Rogers) credits him with 62 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Assatis (USA), Fraar (USA), North Sider (USA), Salse (USA), Top Corsage (USA), Twafeaj (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Free My Heart (SAF), Lazy Slusan (USA), Two Altazano (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Topsider was bred by Paul Mellon and James B. Moseley. He raced in the colors of Ardboe Stable. He was trained by Thomas J. Kelly. He stood in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm, where he died of complications of a hernia in his diaphragm in October 1992.
Pedigree notes
Topsider is inbred 3x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course; he is also inbred 5x5 to 1933 Derby Stakes winner and 1941 American champion sire Blenheim II. He is a half brother to 1983 Prix Berteux winner (ENG-G3) Brogan (by Nijinsky II) and to Grade 3-placed stakes winner War of Words (by Arts and Letters). He is also a half brother to Aliata (by Mr. Prospector), dam of multiple Puerto Rican listed stakes winner Storm Allied (by Stormy Atlantic) and restricted stakes-placed Storm Boot (by Storm Cat), a useful speed sire. Aliata is also the second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Proctor’s Ledge. In addition, Topsider is a half brother to Battle Drum (by Alydar), third dam of two-time Puerto Rican champion Discreet Angel.
Topsider and his siblings were produced from the formidable grass mare Drumtop. An Amazon whose victories included the 1970 Canadian International Championship and the 1971 Hialeah Turf Cup against males, Drumtop is a full sister to 1975 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place and to stakes-placed Zonely, dam of 1982 Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Victory Zone (by Val de l’Orne) and second dam of multiple French Group 3 winner New Frontier and Grade 3 winner Tank. Drumtop is also a half sister to Georgie (by Damascus), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Georgie’s (by Alleged) and second dam of multiple Group 2 winner George Augustus, German Group 2 winner Mongol Warrior (also champion imported 3-year-old male in Spain in 1996), and Irish Group 3 winner Chimes at Midnight. In addition, Drumtop is a half sister to Zone (by Tulyar), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Maltese Beauty, and to Julia B. (by Herbager), third dam of 1997 Slovakian champion 3-year-old filly Fantasy Friend.
Zonah, the dam of Drumtop and her siblings, is a stakes-placed daughter of five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and is a half-sister to three-time American champion Gamely (by Nasrullah’s champion son Bold Ruler, himself an eight-time American champion sire), dam of 1973 William Hill Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini (by Round Table). Gamely is also the dam of Gambling (by Round Table), second dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Lancesca and Brazilian Group 3 winner Fuero Juzgo. Another half sister to Zonah, Staretta (by Dark Star), is the dam of stakes winner Lady Brilliance (by Globemaster) and the second dam of 1987 Matriarch Stakes (USA-G1) winner Asteroid Field. In addition, Zonah is a half sister to Aphonia (by Dunce), dam of stakes winners George Spelvin (by Nantallah), Messina (by Secretariat) and Sitzmark (by J. O. Tobin).
Zonah’s dam Gambetta is a stakes-winning half sister to 1965 co-American Horse of the Year Moccasin, 1960 American champion 2-year-old male Ridan and major stakes winner Lt. Stevens, all by Nantallah. Gambetta is also a half sister to stakes-placed Thong (by Nantallah), dam of four stakes winners including 1972 Irish champion 2-year-old male and 1973 English champion miler Thatch and second dam of 1980 French champion miler Nureyev.
Fun facts
Last updated: January 25, 2022
Race record
17 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$125,060
1978:
- Won Sport Page Handicap (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
1979:
- Set a track record of 1:14-2/5 at Saratoga for 6.5FD
Assessments
Rated at 112 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1978, 20 pounds below co-champion J. O. Tobin. (The other co-champion sprinter, Dr. Patches, was rated at 119 pounds in the older male category).
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1979, 11 pounds below champion Star de Naskra.
As an individual
A bay horse of the Northern Dancer type, Topsider stood 15.3 hands. He was well-balanced and had good bone for his size.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Topsider sired 354 winners (73.0%) and 60 stakes winners (12.4%) from 485 named foals. Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (Churchill, Reichard and Rogers) credits him with 62 stakes winners.
Notable progeny
Assatis (USA), Fraar (USA), North Sider (USA), Salse (USA), Top Corsage (USA), Twafeaj (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Free My Heart (SAF), Lazy Slusan (USA), Two Altazano (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Topsider was bred by Paul Mellon and James B. Moseley. He raced in the colors of Ardboe Stable. He was trained by Thomas J. Kelly. He stood in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm, where he died of complications of a hernia in his diaphragm in October 1992.
Pedigree notes
Topsider is inbred 3x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course; he is also inbred 5x5 to 1933 Derby Stakes winner and 1941 American champion sire Blenheim II. He is a half brother to 1983 Prix Berteux winner (ENG-G3) Brogan (by Nijinsky II) and to Grade 3-placed stakes winner War of Words (by Arts and Letters). He is also a half brother to Aliata (by Mr. Prospector), dam of multiple Puerto Rican listed stakes winner Storm Allied (by Stormy Atlantic) and restricted stakes-placed Storm Boot (by Storm Cat), a useful speed sire. Aliata is also the second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Proctor’s Ledge. In addition, Topsider is a half brother to Battle Drum (by Alydar), third dam of two-time Puerto Rican champion Discreet Angel.
Topsider and his siblings were produced from the formidable grass mare Drumtop. An Amazon whose victories included the 1970 Canadian International Championship and the 1971 Hialeah Turf Cup against males, Drumtop is a full sister to 1975 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place and to stakes-placed Zonely, dam of 1982 Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Victory Zone (by Val de l’Orne) and second dam of multiple French Group 3 winner New Frontier and Grade 3 winner Tank. Drumtop is also a half sister to Georgie (by Damascus), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Georgie’s (by Alleged) and second dam of multiple Group 2 winner George Augustus, German Group 2 winner Mongol Warrior (also champion imported 3-year-old male in Spain in 1996), and Irish Group 3 winner Chimes at Midnight. In addition, Drumtop is a half sister to Zone (by Tulyar), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Maltese Beauty, and to Julia B. (by Herbager), third dam of 1997 Slovakian champion 3-year-old filly Fantasy Friend.
Zonah, the dam of Drumtop and her siblings, is a stakes-placed daughter of five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and is a half-sister to three-time American champion Gamely (by Nasrullah’s champion son Bold Ruler, himself an eight-time American champion sire), dam of 1973 William Hill Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini (by Round Table). Gamely is also the dam of Gambling (by Round Table), second dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Lancesca and Brazilian Group 3 winner Fuero Juzgo. Another half sister to Zonah, Staretta (by Dark Star), is the dam of stakes winner Lady Brilliance (by Globemaster) and the second dam of 1987 Matriarch Stakes (USA-G1) winner Asteroid Field. In addition, Zonah is a half sister to Aphonia (by Dunce), dam of stakes winners George Spelvin (by Nantallah), Messina (by Secretariat) and Sitzmark (by J. O. Tobin).
Zonah’s dam Gambetta is a stakes-winning half sister to 1965 co-American Horse of the Year Moccasin, 1960 American champion 2-year-old male Ridan and major stakes winner Lt. Stevens, all by Nantallah. Gambetta is also a half sister to stakes-placed Thong (by Nantallah), dam of four stakes winners including 1972 Irish champion 2-year-old male and 1973 English champion miler Thatch and second dam of 1980 French champion miler Nureyev.
Fun facts
- Topsider was named for a type of non-slip boat shoe designed by Paul Sperry and sold as the Sperry Top-Sider. (Topsider’s female family, descended from the mare Rough Shod II, has sometimes been called the “Footwear Clan” for its many horses named after types of shoes and sandals.)
- Topsider had the unusual habit of beating his head against the wall of his stall when bored.
Last updated: January 25, 2022