Japan Cup 2013

It was the filly Gentildonna winning the 33rd running of the $5.8M Japan Cup. Gentildonna became the first horse ever to win the Classic twice, she won it last year. She won it by a whisker over another filly Denim and Ruby with Tosen Jordan finishing third. All 3 were Japanese breds and of course all 3 were descendants of our little Canadian Northern Dancer.

1) Gentildonna (JPN) - great great granddaughter x3 through Danzig/Bertolini
2) Denim and Ruby (JPN) - great great granddaughter x4 through Nuryev
3) Tosen Jordan (JPN) - great grandson x2 through Northern Taste


photos from japan racing association - click on to enlarge

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkLDpt1iLbE

Phar Lap

Before Northern Dancer, Secretariat and Seabiscuit there was Phar Lap. Some say he was the greatest thoroughbred of all time. As far as I am concerned it was the best horse racing movie and I have been looking for it for years at flear markets and video shops. While getting ready for tonight's Japan Cup I found a full version on youtube. I just spent two hours watching it for the first time in over 10 years. What a treat. It's a true story about another equine hero.

Here is the link if you are interested - good quality also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJG3ho_z2zM

wikipedia link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phar_Lap

photo from museum Victoria

http://museumvictoria.com.au/pharlap/index.asp

Melbourne Cup 2013

Images from getty

Top 2 images from AAP - that's the popular Gai Waterhouse celebrating in the centre of the 2nd shot

The race that stops a Nation goes in an hour or so. Here's a few fashion shots from Getty while we wait.

I had time to check the pedigree of all 24 starters. They were bred in 5 different countries and each is a descendant of Northern Dancer so let's add another $6M Australian to the grandkids bankroll.

It was a popular win for female trainer Gai Waterhouse. Damien Oliver was in the saddle for his 3rd Cup as Fiorente wins the Cup. A dark shadow on the day as the Aga Khan's French bred mare Verema went down with a broken canon bone during the race.

1) Fiorente (IRE) - great great great grandson x2 through Danzig
2) Red Cadeaux (GB) - great great grandson x2 through Nuryev
3) Mount Athos (IRE) - great grandson through Sadlers Wells/Montjeau


video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKanuV8U6NY

Breeders Cup 2013 - The Classic

It was Mucho Macho Man and Gary Stevens taking the $5M Classic by a whisker over Will Take Charge and Declaration of War in third. It was an emotional win for Stevens after 7 years off and for trainer Katherine Ritvo. All 3 American breds are descendants of Northern Dancer.

It's been quite a weekend for Breeders Cup #30. There were 14 races for $25M in prize money. Of the 42 top 3 finishers all but 2 were descendants of Northern Dancer. Those Dancer grandkids were bred in 7 different countries on 3 different continents bringing home another $20M for the descendants of the little guy from Windfields Farm in Oshawa, Ontario who nobody wanted for $25,000 in 1962.

This Tuesday we will see what influence The Dancer has down under in the race that stops a Nation. The Melbourne Cup goes this week.

1) Mucho Macho Man (USA) - great great great grandson through Nijinsky
2) Will Take Charge (USA) - great great great grandson through Vice Regent/Deputy Minister
3) Declaration of War (USA) - great grandson x3 through Danzig/War Front


all photos from www.breederscup.com - great coverage and site this year

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-d8AaCzbqE

Breeders Cup 2013 - The Mile

Last year's horse of the year Wise Dan repeats as Mile Champion in the $2M Breeders Cup Mile. It was Za Approval second and Silentio third. The Europeans were shout out in this one. All 3 American breds were great great great grandsons of The Dancer.

1) Wise Dan (USA) - great great great grandson x3 through Storm Bird/Storm Cat/Hennessy
2) Za Approval (USA) - great great great grandson through Vice Regent/Deputy Minister
3) Silentio (USA) - great great great grandson through Danzig and Lyphard

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWlVXT216io

Breeders Cup 2013 - Sprint

Secret Circle hung on over the late charge from Laugh Track with Gentlemen's Bet finishing third in the $1.5M Sprint. All 3 American breds were descendants of our Dancer.

1) Secret Circle (USA) - great grandson x2 through a Dixieland Band mare
2) Laugh Track (USA) - great great grandson x2 through Danzig and Vice Regent
3) Gentlemen's Bet (USA) - great great great grandson through Storm Bird/Storm Cat


video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrDuEi4h3q4

Breeders Cup 2013 - Turf

The Irish bred Magician ran down Andrew LLoyd Weber's filly The Fugue at the wire in the $3M Turf with the Argentinian bred Indy Point in third. Bred in 3 different countries from 2 continents they had one thing in common - the blood of Canada's Northern Dancer. It was a great finish.

1) Magician (IRE) - great grandson x3 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
2) The Fugue (GB) - great great granddaughter x2 through Danzig/Danehill
3) Indy Point (ARG) - great great grandson through El Gran Senor


video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWo8R1IRHAY

Breeders Cup 2013 - Juvenile

New Year's Day comes from off the pace to win the $2M Juvenile.

1) New Year's Day (USA) - great great grandson through Dixieland Band
2) Havana (USA) - no relation to Northern Dancer
3) Strong Mandate (USA) - great great grandson x3 through Vice Regent/Deputy Minister


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

Breeders Cup 2013 - Turf Sprint

Mizdirection wins back to back Turf Sprints (the second repeat winner on the day so far). It was a dead heat for second between Reneesgotzip and Tightend Touchdown and guess what Mizdirection is not a Northern Dancer descendant. The girls showed up the boys in the $1M Turf Sprint.

1) Mizdirection (USA) - mare no relation to Northern Dancer
2) Reneesgotzip (USA) - great great great granddaughter x2 through Danzig
2) Tightend Touchdown (USA) - great great great grandson x2 through Vice Regent


video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NL5Znu8x3Y

Breeders Cup 2013 - Filly and Mare Sprint

Groupie Doll defended her title as Filly and Mare champ in the $1M race. There will be 4 more horses trying to repeat their Breeders Cup wins later in the day. It was a Canadian bred Judy the Beauty in second and Dance Card third. All 3 are descendants of another Canadian - Northern Dancer.

1) Groupie Doll (USA) - great granddaughter x3 through Dixieland Band/Bowman's Band
2) Judy the Beauty (CAN) - great great great granddaughter through Vice Regent/Deputy Minister
3) Dance Card (USA) - great great great granddaughter through Nijinsky

photos from www.breederscup.com - click on any to enlarge them

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

Breeders Cup 2013 - Filly and Mare Turf

It was an all European top 3 with the British bred Dank showing her class in the $2M Filly and Mare Turf and of course an all Dancer granddaughter top three.

1) Dank (GB) - great great granddaughter through Danzig/Danehill
2) Romantica (GB) great granddaughter x2 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
3) Alterite (FR) great great granddaughter x3 through Sadlers Wells

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

Breeders Cup 2013 - Juvenile Fillies

Well it was an auspicious start to the day in the $2M Juvenile Fillies. Bob Baffert's Secret Compass went down with a broken ankle. The winner She's A Tiger was disqualified and placed second for a bump late in the stretch. It opened up the race for a 30-1 shot Ria Antonia to win it. She was purchased for just $9,000 as a yearling. Rosalind finished third. All three girls were great great granddaughters of Northern dancer.

1) Ria Antonia (USA) - great great great granddaughter through Danzig
2) She's A Tiger (USA) - great great granddaughter through Storm Bird/Storm Cat
3) Rosalind (USA) - great great granddaughter through Nijinsky and Nureyev.


video of the race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31N5AJktBoY