Hong Kong Cup 2012

That's Miss Kate Winslet on hand to give out the hardware - the above images from HKJC

---- ----- ------ this photo from Kenneth Chan

I am just waiting for a few more images from the HKJC before I wrap this up - that's the closing ceremony fireworks display - Image from HKJC

It was a repeat performance for the beautiful American grey California Memory winning the 22 Million $HK Cup, his second Hong Kong Cup in a row. The British bred filly Giofra finished second and Australia's Alcopop finished third. All 3 were descendants of Northern Dancer. Let's see now in the 4 races on Hong Kong Cup day 11 of the 12 top three finishers were descendants of the Dancer. They were bred in 7 different countries on 5 different continents and ranged in colour from rare grey to brilliant chestnut, jet black and of course Dancer bay. Our little guy sure got around didn't he? Carlton House, the first horse belonging to Queen Elizabeth to run in a Hong Kong Cup finished 6th - that will teach her to buy a thoroughbred with no Northern Dancer blood. Ironically QEII has been a huge supporter of our little guy and I know from first hand knowledge she has a lot of Northern Dancer memorabilia and the royal family visited him at Windfields Farm in Oshawa.

California Memory (USA) - great great grandson x3
Giofra (GB) - great great granddaughter x3
Alcopop (AUS) - great great great grandson


video of the race
http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-media.aspx?vdo=replay-short/2012/20121209/08/eng/replay-short_20121209_08_eng

Home page of the Longines International Hong Kong Cup Races - from here you can access every part of this spectacular event - well done HKJC and Longines. I was disappointed with no live feed in North America but this site more than made up for that - the form guide alone is a brilliant souvenir.
http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-index.aspx

Hong Kong Mile 2012

---- images from HKJC

---- this image from Kenneth Chan

It was another country heard from in the 20 Million $HK Mile with New Zealand bred Ambitious Dragon coming from second to last at the turn for home to take the Hong Kong Mile. Glorious Days was second and Packing OK finished third and guess what Glorious Days is not a descendant of our Dancer but the other two are(of course).

Ambitious Dragon (NZ) - great great grandson x2
Glorious Days (AUS) - no relation
Packing OK (AUS) - great great grandson x2


video of the race
http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-media.aspx?vdo=replay-short/2012/20121209/07/eng/replay-short_20121209_07_eng

Hong Kong Sprint 2012

In the 15 Million $HK Sprint it was the Japanese bred Lord Kanaloa beating out the South African bred Cerise Cherry with the Australian bred Captain Sweet finishing third. That's 3 different continents represented in what many consider the best sprint race in the world but what do they have in common - their great grandfather (our little Dancer) from Canada. The top 3 finishers in the first 2 races have come from 5 different countries and 4 different continents emphasizing the International importance of the Hong Kong Cup races and a tribute to the International reach our little Canadian sire had - it's what separates him from the other great sires of the 20th Century and will ensure his legacy into the 21st century.

Lord Kanaloa (JPN) - great great grandson x4
Cerise Cherry (SAF) - great great great grandson
Captain Sweet (AUS) - great great grandson x3


images from HKJC you can click on any to enlarge and scroll through the images

video of the race
http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-media.aspx?vdo=replay-short/2012/20121209/05/eng/replay-short_20121209_05_eng

Hong Kong Vase 2012

After all the build up I can't find a live feed this year. It was Red Cadeaux beating Jaguar Mail at the wire with Meandre third in the 15M $HK Vase. All 3 are grandsons of Northern Dancer.

Red Cadeaux (GB) great great grandson x2
Jaguar Mail (JPN) great great grandson x2
Meandre (FR) great great great grandson x2


Image from HKJC you can click on any to enlarge and scroll through the images

video of race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXS6Ena_Tg4

Hong Kong Cup 2012 - Live in 18 Hours

They are billing it as "The Greatest Show on Turf"

Promotional videos of the "Greatest Show on Turf"
http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-media.aspx?vdo=special/2012/2012-IRT/prom1118/chi/special_2012-IRT_prom1118_chi

http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-media.aspx?vdo=special/2012/2012-aaron/full/special_2012-aaron_full

Wow, I can't believe how excited I am about this year's Cup Day. Next to the Melbourne Cup this is the one International event I would love to attend live one day but their coverage has always been so great it's like being there. After a very busy few weeks I have nothing else to worry about tonight. Early shower, alarm set in case I fall asleep for a couple of hours - can hardly wait.

I downloaded the program - what a great form chart and souvenir - it takes a while to download but worth it.

Barrier Draw earlier in the week.

Lot's of entertainment through the week at Sha Tin

Trackside breakfast with the Stars early Dec 9 at Sha Tin Racecourse


If you don't need a lot of sleep tonight try to catch some of the Hong Kong Cup action starting about 2 am EST (Dec 9) from the beautiful Sha Tin Racecourse. The big race goes about 4:40 am. The Hong Kong Jockey Club always do a superb job with their Internet coverage and just like every other corner of the globe I think our little Canadian hero will be well represented in the International fields.

Link to HKJC website for the Hong Kong Cup

http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-index.aspx

Chapter 17 from my book - A Japanese Hero

Following up on this year's Japan Cup - the winner Gentildonna came through Danzig and Lyphard but both Orfevre and Rulership had another of Northern Dancer's sons in their pedigree - Northern Taste - here is a bit about Northern Taste from my book -

Chapter 17 - A Japanese Hero

There was not a large number of great runners from the 1971 crop of foals but there was another special sire to come out of that group.

Northern Taste was out of E.P. Taylor’s stakes winner Lady Victoria. The Windfields’ bred colt was shipped off to the Saratoga yearling sales where the late Zenya Yoshida (Shadai Stallion of Japan) purchased him for $100,000. It was a gamble that paid off big time for Yoshida. In another few years, the same colt might have cost $10,000,000. Yoshida raced Northern Taste in Europe where he won some major French stakes including the Prix de la Foret before retiring to a legendary career as a stallion in Japan.

Prior to Northern Taste’s arrival, most of the “overseas” Japanese stallions were cast offs. Quality stallions would have been too expensive. Yoshida decided to take a chance on a young and more affordable colt. Northern Taste led the Japanese sires list 10 times from 1982 to 1993 where he had a significant contribution to the improved quality of Japanese bred thoroughbreds. He was pensioned in 1999 at the age of 28 and lived until he was 33 when he died a hero. “I hope he will sleep in peace”, said Shadai Stallion Station President Teruya Yoshida (oldest son of Zenya). In his 23 crops of foals Northern Taste produced over 1700 winners, over 90 stakes winners and 6 Japanese Champions.

Most of Northern Taste’s breeding records in Japan have recently been eclipsed by another Shadai Stallion in Sunday Silence who Teruya Yoshida says may have been out of their reach had it not been for Northern Taste, “that horse was our cornerstone” (they paid $12,000,000 for the Sunday Silence). The white-faced Northern Taste was small (like his sire) and that was not thought to be the ideal prototype for a Japanese thoroughbred but his line’s capacity for distance races and lengthy careers proved otherwise.

Among Northern Taste’s best offspring were these champions (winnings in Yen) Dyna Gulliver (1983) (259,946,300 13-5-2-1), Northern Driver (1988) (155,630,700 9-4-2-1), Dyna Actress (1983) (315,508,700 19-7-3-2), Dyna Carle (1980) (189,096,500 18-5-3-4), Global Dyna (1980) (238,437,800) (26-7-7-6) and another steeplechaser in Big Taste (1998).

The three sons of Zenya Yoshida have their own breeding farms today with Teruya staying on at Shadai. All three sons had access to the stallions their father introduced to Japan including Sunday Silence and before him, Northern Taste. Katsumi Yoshida runs Northern Farm, the breeders of this year’s (2006) Australian Melbourne Cup winner Delta Blues and second place finisher Pop Rock. While neither is a descendant of Northern Taste both can thank Northern Taste for the breeding success of the Shadai founded farms. Both horses are grandsons of Sunday Silence and great grandsons of Northern Dancer through Nijinsky, Fairy King and Dixieland Band.

Northern Dancer’s 1971 crop also included Barb’s Dancer who had a very successful career as a broodmare. She produced 16 foals and among them the outstanding Chilean sire, Sam M (1981) who was still runner up in the general sire statistics of Chile in 2004. The mares Farouche, Northern Gem Friendly Witness and Danceful also had some success as broodmares and carry on the Dancer’s genes today.

Japan Cup 2012 - Gentildonna wins it for the girls

I am afraid I am falling a little behind. I totally forgot about the Japan Cup which ran November 25th for $6.5 Million US in front of 100,000 fans. For the first time ever it was a 3 year-old filly winning the race. Gentildonna survived a lengthy inquiry to get the win over favourite Orfevre with Rulership finishing third. All 3 Japanese breds were great grandkids of our Northern Dancer. It was a grueling stretch drive and she looked like she was done twice but wouldn't give up.

1) Gentildonna - great great granddaughter x3
2) Orfevre - great great grandson x2
3) Rulership - great great grandson x4

Image from Japan Racing

Video of race (exciting finish)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASZ3uODr8FE

Hong Kong Cup - Live Coverage in just over 24 hours
http://campaign.hkjc.com/en/2012-longines-hkir/2012-lgir-index.aspx

Melbourne Cup 2012 - The Race That Stops a Nation

Green Moon Wins the $6M 2012 Melbourne Cup holding off Fiorente and Jakkalberry. It sure looked like the 59KG was too much for the favourite Dunaden to repeat. It was a clean sweep for the Irish breds and a clean sweep for the Northern Dancer grandkids. Green Moon's sire the French bred Montjeu is one of the leading sires in the world and grandson of Northern Dancer through Sadlers Wells.

1) Green Moon (IRE) great grandson x3
2) Fiorente (IRE) great great great grandson
3) Jakkalberry (IRE) great great grandson


images from Getty

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_NKzephhWU

Breeders Cup 2012 The Classic

Another gutsy performance from Fort Larned who led wire to wire to win the 5 million dollar Classic. Mucho Macho Man had Fort Larned in his sites but couldn't reel him in. Fort Larned is not a descendant of our Dancer but the other two are.

It's a wrap and I think I will say high to Ted Beare who is watching from that big racetrack in the sky.

1) Fort Larned (USA) No relation
2) Mucho Macho Man (USA) great great great grandson
3) Flat Out (USA) great grandson x2


Wrapping up - 41 out of 45 top 3 finishers were descendants of Northern Dancer - pretty typical. What was very surprising this year was the number of US breds 37 out of 45 - that may be some kind of recent record.

all the great images from Getty

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/classic

Breeders Cup 2012 The Mile

Wow, what a horse and quite probably Eclipse Horse of the Year. Wise Dan wins the 2 million dollar Mile in course record time and just a couple of ticks off a world record. Animal Kingdom was flying at the finish but ran into traffic and he was also coming off a 259 day layoff. It was another 1-2-3 finish for the Dancer's grandsons.

1) Wise Dan (USA) great great great grandson x3
2) Animal Kingdom (USA) great great grandson x2
3) Obviously (IRE) great great grandson x2

images from Getty

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/mile

Breeders Cup 2012 The Sprint

Another great story and popular win with Trinniberg winning the 1.5 million dollar Sprint for the West Indies Parbhoo family and another 1-2-3 finish for Northern Dancer's grandkids.

1) Trinniberg (USA) great great great grandson x2
2) The Lumber Guy (USA) great great grandson
3) Smiling Tiger (USA) great great grandson

images from Getty

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/xpressbet-sprint

Breeders Cup 2012 The Turf

What a great story. His dam was a gift and his sire was unraced but that didn't stop Little Mike from winning the 3 million dollar Turf. The winner was not a descendant of our Dancer but the other two are.

1) Little Mike (USA) no relation
2) Point of Entry (USA) great great great grandson
3) St Nicholas Abbey (IRE) great grandson

images from Getty

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/turf

Breeders Cup 2012 Gray Goose Juvenile

Well, we're back on line in more ways than one. It was an absolutely gutsy performance from the undefeated Shanghai Bobby in the 2 million dollar Gray Goose Juvenile. It was a return to 1-2-3 finishes for the Dancer's grandkids. You are probably looking at the favourite for next year's Kentucky Derby. That's Rosie Napravnik in the irons to become just the second female Jockey to win a Breeders Cup race.

1) Shanghai Bobby (USA) great great great grandson
2) He's Had Enough (USA) great grandson x2
3) Capo Bastone (USA) great great grandson

images from Getty

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/grey-goose-juvenile

Breeders Cup 2012 Turf Sprint

What a wild and crazy race. Downhill on the turf to an unheard of right turn (in the US) and then a left turn and over the dirt to the turf finish. The girls outran the boys with the mare Mizdirection beating Unbridleds Note and the mare Reneesgotzip finishing third and what do you know. Only third place finisher Reneesgotzip is a descendant of our Northern Dancer.

1) Mizdirection (USA) no relation
2) Unbridleds Note (USA) no relation
3) Reneesgotzip (USA) great great granddaughter x2

Images from Getty

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/turf-sprint

Breeders Cup 2012 Dirt Mile

No favourite this time as Tapizar looks impressive winning the Dirt Mile. Three more Dancer descendants in the top three. Shackleford stumbled coming out of the gate and never really recovered.

1) Tapizar (USA) great great great grandson x2
2) Rail Trip (USA) great great great grandson x2
3) Delegation (USA) great great great grandson x2


images from Getty - you can click on them to enlarge the photos

video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/dirt-mile

Breeders Cup 2012 Filly and Mare Sprint

It was the prohibitive favourite Groupie Doll in the Filly and Mare Sprint. She sat off the pace and made her move on the turn. Northern Dancer dependants remain a perfect 24-24 with top 3 finishes.

1) Groupie Doll (USA) great granddaughter x3
2) Dust and Diamonds (USA) great great granddaughter x2
3) Switch (USA) great great granddaughter x2

images from Getty
video of race from BC
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2012/filly-mare-sprint