Breeders Cup 2014 - Classic

In the big race it was a clean sweep for the US breds with Bayern coming out on top, going wire to wire with Toast Of New York finishing second and California Chrome finishing third. Of course, all three were descendants of my little Canadian hero Northern Dancer.

1) Bayern - great great great grandson through Storm Bird
2) Toast Of New York - great great grandson x5 through Sadlers Wells, Danzig
3) California Chrome - great great grandson through the prolific daughter Dance Number


Well that a wrap for this year`s Breeders Cup Races (at leats the big 8 races). Of the 24 top 3 finishers all 24 were descendants of Northern Dancer and while it was a great day for US breds there were still 5 countries on 3 continents represented in the breeding of these Dancer grandkids and Northern Dancer`s daughters were well represented.

photos from breederscup.com (click on them to enlarge - great photos this year)

video of race http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/classic

Breeders Cup 2014 - Turf

In the $3M Turf it was Main Sequence completing a perfect season with Flintshire second and Twilight Eclipse third.

1) Main Sequence (USA) - great great great grandson x3 through Nijinsky, Nuryev
2) Flintshire (GB) - great grandson x3 through Sadlers Wells
3) Twilight Eclipse (USA) - great great grandson through Nijinsky


photos from breederscup.com

video of race http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/longines-turf

Breeders Cup 2014 - Mile

In the Mile it was the Japanese bred Karakontie in his first race outside of France winning with Anodin second and Trade Storm third. All 3 International breds were grandsons of the Dancer.

1) Karakontie (JPN) - great great grandson x2 through Storm Cat
2) Anodin (IRE) - great grandson x2 through Danzig
3) Trade Storm (GB) - great great great grandson through The Minstrel, Danzig, Lyphard


photos from breederscup.com

video of race http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/mile

Breeders Cup 2014 - Filly and Mare Turf

In the $2M Filly and Mare Turf it was Dayatthespa going wire to wire to get the win with Stephanie`s Kitten second and Just The Judge third.

1) Dayatthespa (USA) - great great great great granddaughter through Nijinsky
2) Stephanie`s Kitten (USA) - great great granddaughter through Sadlers Wells
3) Just The Judge (IRE) - great great great granddaughter through Danzig


photos from breederscup.com

video of race
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/filly-mare-turf

Breeders Cup 2014 - Juvenile

In the boys 2 year-old division it was Texas Red coming from dead last at the turn to win by 6 lengths. Carpe Diem was second and Upstart third, once again all 3 grandsons were US breds.

1) Texas Red - great great grandson x2 through Nuryev
2) Carpe Diem - great great grandson x2 through Giant`s Causeway
3) Upstart - great great grandson x3 through daughters Cool Mood and Wild Applause


photos from breederscup.com

video of race
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/juvenile

Breeders Cup 2014 - Juvenile Fillies

In the 2 year-old filly race it was 60-1 Take Charge Brandi going wire to wire with Top Decile second and Wonder Gal third. All 3 granddaughters were once again US breds as the US had a great day overall and a pretty good day for broodmare daughters of Northern Dancer.

1) Take Charge Brandi - great great granddaughter x2 through Giant`s Causeway
2) Top Decile - great great granddaughter x2 through daughter Wild Applause
3) Wonder Gal - great great granddaughter x3 through Nuryev

photos from breederscup.com

video of race
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/juvenile-fillies

Breeders Cup 2014 - Distaff

In the $2M Distaff it was Untapable with Don't Tell Sophia running second and Iotapa in third. All 3 granddaughters of the Dancer were US breds. Rosie Napravnik rode the winner and announced her retirement after the race.

1) Untapable - great great great granddaughter through Nijinski
2) Don't Tell Sophia - great great granddaughter x3 through daughters Mari's Book and Danseur Fabuleux
3) Iotapa - great great great grandaughter x3 through Nuryev

photos from breederscup.com

video of race
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/longines-distaff

Breeders Cup 2014 - Sprint

I am still playing catch up but it does come with some advantages - like watching 8 Breeders Cup races in just a couple of hours. I will just focus on the 8 biggest races. Of these 8 races all 24 top 3 finishers were descendants of Northern Dancer despite being bred in 5 different countries on 3 continents.
Let's start with The Sprint. The winner was Work All Week with Secret Circle second and the Canadian bred Private Zone finishing third.
1) Work All Week (USA) great great great grandson through Danzig
2) Secret Circle (USA) great grandson x2 through Dixieland Band and Danzig
3) Private Zone (CAN) great great great grandson through Vice Regent/Deputy Minister

photos from breederscup.com (click on them to enlarge)

video of race
http://www.breederscup.com/results/2014/xpressbet-sprint

The Race That Stops a Nation - Melbourne Cup 2014

I was so busy I didn't get a chance to watch or listen this year to my favourite International Race. Better late than never - here is my recap. It was the German Bred Protectionist winning the $5M Cup followed by the GB bred Red Cadeaux and third was the NZ bred Who Shot Thebarman. Despite being bred on three different continents all three are descendants of our little Dancer. Unfortunately the race was marred by the death of two horses.

1) Protectionist (GER) great great grandson x2 through Nuryev and Sadlers Wells
2) Red Cadeaux (GB) great great grandson x2 through Nuryev and Lyphard
3) Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) great great great grandson through Nijinsky

photos from Jake Nowakowski, Mark Stewart, Getty and Colleen Petch

video of race http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnzlLHKyw1Q

Le Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2014 - I am way behind

After a few months of moving and travelling I am finally settled down enough to catch up a bit on the blog. I will start with 2 of the biggest International races. In this year's $6.8M l'Arc it was the outstanding French bred filly Treve winning it for the second year in a row, the first time that has happened since Alleged in 1978. She made a powerful move at the top of the stretch to outrun the two GB breds Flintshire and Taghrooda. Of course all 3 were descendants of Northern Dancer.

1) Treve (FR) great great granddaughter x3 through Montjeu/Sadlers Wells
2) Flintshire (GB) great great grandson x4 through Danehill/Danzig
3) Taghrooda (GB) great grandson x2 through Sea the Stars and a Sadlers Wells mare

photo from AP

video of race http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwI1bnqGQDc