Lines of the 1981 crop in 2010

Sadler's Wells descendants represent four of the top ten in world rankings including two direct male descendants in number 3 ranked Rip Van Winkle and number 4 ranked Fame and Glory. Number 7 ranked Conduit won back to back Breeders Cup Turfs in 2008 and 2009 and the St Leger in 2008 and is a great grandson of Sadler's Wells. Number 9 ranked Rachel Alexandra (also 2009 Eclipse Horse of the Year) is not only a descendant of Sadler's Wells, her maternal great grandmother was Wild Applause from this same 1981 crop.

Four of Sadler's Wells descendants had top three finishes in the 2009 Breeders Cup while three could be traced back to El Gran Senor. Solar City is still having an impact thanks to his grandson Cloudy's Knight. The great gelding was just nosed out of the Breeders Cup Marathon at 9 years of age after a gutsy stretch drive. As a 7 year-old Cloudy's Knight was Champion Turf Horse in Canada after winning the Canadian International.

Tributes to Rachel Alexandra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZKfqvbgoag&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAy2zTR3Dzs&feature=related

The Latest World Rankings

Here are the latest world rankings from the International Federation of Horse Racing. Just as it was in 2005 - all but one of the top 30 are direct descendants of Northern Dancer. I added the lifetime earnings for each horse - they are approximate. Eighteen of the thirty are direct male descendants.



Link to World Rankings
http://www.horseracingintfed.com/resources/2009Rankings/2009_1108_WTR.asp