Qipco British Championship Series 2015 - Sprint

From Ascot today it was Qipco British Championships. In the 600,000 Sprint it was Muhaarar over Twilight Son and Danzeno. All 3 are descendants of Northern Dancer.

1) Muhaarar (GB) great great grandson x3 through Danzig/Lyphard
2) Twilight Son (GB) great great great grandson x3 through Nuryev
3) Danzeno (GB) great great grandson x2 through Danzig/Lyphard

images from sportinglife.com

Prix de l'Arc 2015

Golden Horn takes the 2015 l'Arc at Longchamp with Flintshire second and New Bay third. It was sweet revenge for Franki Dettori riding Golden Horn who was removed from Treve after winning back to back l'Arc's aboard Treve. Treve finished fourth this year. The top three were all bred in GB and all descendants of Northern Dancer.

1) Golden Horn (GB) great great grandson x2 through Danzig and Nuryev
2) Flintshire (GB) great grandson x3 through Sadlers Wells and Danzig
3) New Bay (GB) great great grandson x4 through Sadlers Wells and Dubai Millennium/Shareef Dancer
4) Treve (Fr) great great granddaughter x2 through Sadlers Wells and Danzig

image from Michel Euler/AP

video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIrMbXNMiGY

Controversy in the 2015 St Leger Stakes

The 2015 St Leger was decided in the stewards room as the only filly in the race Simple Verse was taken down and favorite Bondi Beach was declared the winner. There was some bumping in the stretch. Fields of Athenry (one of my fav songs) finished third. All three are descendants of Northern Dancer. Simple Verse was the great great granddaughter of Nijinsky who won the St Leger in 1970 becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 35 years (there hasn't been another in the past 45 years). Nijinsky opened the International floodgates for his sire Northern Dancer. Thank you Sky Racing for providing a live audio feed.

Bondi Beach (IRE) - great grandson X2 through Sadlers Wells and Danzig
Simple Verse (IRE) - great granddaughter x4 through Sadlers Wells/Danzig/Nijinsky and Nureyev
Fields of Athenry (IRE) - great grandson x2 through Sadlers Wells and Danzig

video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_39rwZr_MZs

Queen's Plate 2015 - 156th running

Sorry for the delay but better late than never. This was our 3rd Queen's Plate in a row and once again it was a great day. At the end of it favorite Shaman Ghost came from behind to take Danish Dynaformer at the wire with Conquest Boogaloo finishing third. The top three were all descendants of Northern Dancer (as were every horse in the field). Here are a few of my photos.

1) Shaman Ghost - great great great grandson through Vice Regal/Deputy Minister
2) Danish Dynaformer - great grteat grandson through Danzig/Danehill
3) Conquest Boogaloo - great great great grandson x3 through Storm Bird and Nijinsky

Golden Horn wins Epsom Derby

While we were getting ready for the Belmont Stakes, the second leg of the British Triple Crown was running at Epsom. Golden Horn came from 7th at mid stretch to win the Epsom Derby. Jack Hobbs was second and Storm The Stars was third. No surprise, all three are descendants of Northern Dancer.

Golden Horn (GB) - great great great grandson x3 through Danzig and Nureyev
Jack Hobbs (GB) - great great great grandson through Nijinsky
Storm The Stars (USA) - great grandson x2 through Sadlers Wells and Danzig


images from Alan Crowhurst/Getty

video link to race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BHkwSlYw5E

American Pharoah does it - first Triple Crown in 37 years

American Pharoah did something his great great great grandfather couldn't do in 1964 winning the Triple Crown. It was still in doubt until the eighth poll when Pharoah started pulling away to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. Many horses have had a chance but it seemed like it may never happen again until American Pharoah proved that theory incorrect. Frosted finished six lengths back in second and Keen Ice third. All three are descendants of our Northern Dancer in fact so was every horse in the Belmont. Needless to say this was the first descendant of Northern Dancer to win the US Triple Crown. Nijinsky won the British Triple Crown in 1970 starting the International dominance of our incredible Canadian sire.

images from Getty

American Pharoah dominates in the Preakness

Once again we have a horse with a chance at the Triple Crown. It was 51 years ago to the day that his great great great grandsire, Northern Dancer accomplished the same feat. The downpour and sloppy track didn't seem to bother American Pharoah as he stormed to victory by seven lengths. It was longshot Tale Of Verve finishing second and Divining Rod third. All three were great great great grandsons of The Dancer. In the case of Divining Rod, his great great grandmother was the Dancer's Hall of Fame daughter Fanfreluche. She was kidnapped while in foal to Secretariat. You can read about her in this blog.

photo from AP/Mike Stewart

American Pharoah - great great great grandson x2 through Storm Cat/Storm Bird and El Gran Senor
Tale Of Verve - great great great grandson x3 through Storm Cat/Storm Bird and Nijinsky
Divining Rod - great great great grandson x3 through Storm Cat, Nijinsky and daughter Fanfreluche


Link to Fanfreluche in this blog http://northerndancerblog.blogspot.ca/2009/12/chapter-12_2744.html

American Pharoah wins the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby

It was favourite American Pharoah winning the Kentucky Derby with a tough Firing Line second and stablemate Dortmund finishing third. All three were descendants of The Dancer.

American Pharoah - great great great grandson through Storm Cat/Storm Bird
Firing Line - great great great grandson x2 through Danzig and Storm Bird
Dortmund - (son of Big Brown) great great grandson x3 through Danzig and Nuryev


photo from Peter Casey USA Today

Gleneagles wins first leg of British Triple Crown

While we wait for this year's running of the Kentucky Derby, Gleneagles wins the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket to take the first leg of the British Triple Crown. It was Territories second and Ivawood third, all three are Irish breds and descendants of Northern Dancer.

Gleneagles - great great grandson through Galileo/Sadlers Wells
Territories - great great grandson x2 through Danzig
Ivawood - great great great grandson x2 through Danzig


image from Alan Crowhurst Getty Images

Prince Bishop upsets in Dubai World Cup 2015

It was a 14-1 Irish bred upsetting the Americans in the world's richest horse race. Prince Bishop outran California Chrome in deep stretch to win the Dubai World Cup. Lea finished third. All three were descendants of Northern Dancer as were 24 of the 24 top 3 finishers in the 8 featured races on the day. Total purse money on the day was over $30 million. The 24 grandkids of Northern Dancer were bred in 8 different countries on 5 different continents.

photos from Satish Kumar (The National) and Ahmed Jadallah (Reuters)

video of the races
http://www.dubairacingclub.com/media/videos/videos