Oxbow upsets in the 138th Preakness

Gary Stevens leaves the broadcast booth for a front row seat aboard Oxbow to win this year's Preakness. It was another 1-2-3 finish for descendants of the Dancer. Oxbow is the grandson of another Canadian Hall of Famer in Deputy Minister son of Vice Regent another Canadian Hall of Famer.

Oxbow - great great grandson x3
Itsmyluckyday - great great grandson
Mylute - great great great great grandson

images from AP and Getty - that's Oxbow in a morning workout from AP

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

Orb wins 139th Kentucky Derby

It was the first Kentucky Derby for hall of famer Shug McGauhey and another big win for jockey Joel Rosario. It was a 1-2 finish for descendants of Northern Dancer with longshot Golden Soul finishing second and co-favourite Revolutionary third. Orb is a great great great grandson of the Dancer's son Nijinsky and Golden Soul a grandson of Northern Dancer's son Sadlers Wells.

Image from AP

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70BAs0p9enA

great photo gallery from yahoo sports
http://sports.yahoo.com/photos/2013-kentucky-derby-139th-run-for-the-roses-slideshow/horse-racing-139th-kentucky-derby-photo-232610488--rah.html

Kentucky Derby #139

I know where I will be between 5-6 pm tomorrow. Glued to my TV watching the great grandkids of Northern Dancer compete in the 139th run for the roses. I will be rooting for Verrazano but their are 17 others descended from my little hero.

image of Verrazano from Getty

link to the Derby website
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/

Nelly Retires - will start her new career as a mom

Nelly's groom (strapper) post below describes what it was like to be a groom to such a special horse



Black Caviar is retiring after her perfect racing record of 25 wins. Good Luck Nelly. Here she is with her mates Andy and Billy.

Link to video of the announcement
http://www.racingnetwork.com.au/black-caviar-retired/tabid/83/newsid/12700/default.aspx

Black Caviar bids farewell to her adoring fans at Caulfield
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wufPMgtywe0

Great Blog post by Nelly's groom Donna Fisher
http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/Analysis-and-Opinions/posts/Caviar-my-career-maker.aspx

Black Caviar makes it 25 straight to remain unbeaten

Spectators had to watch from outside the fence at the sold out track



The great great granddaughter of Northern Dancer has done it again, this time from a sold out Randwick track in Sydney. It was standing room only to see this brilliant mare annialate her competition again in yet another Group 1 race. It was another great ride by Luke Nolen.

Photos from the Daily Telegraph

Full video of race - might have to reload a couple of times http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ills6b5a8F8

Link to Herald Sun article http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/superracing/black-caviar-proves-her-critics-wrong-with-another-whirlwind-success-in-tj-smith/story-fn67tkww-1226619744317

Link to yahoo sports - first 24 wins of the wonder from down under - some great calls
http://au.sports.yahoo.com/videos/watch/80317d81-c89a-3caf-94bc-17ee63af8b45/all-of-black-caviars-24-wins/

Dubai World Cup 2013 - The Cup $10m

click to enlarge photo

Well it was my pre-race favorite Animal Kingdom dominating in the 2013 Dubai World Cup and what a day it was at beautiful Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, UAE. It was a perfect 24 for 24 top 3 finishes for descendants of Northern Dancer taking home over $25 Million in prize money on the day in the 8 featured races. Perhaps the most amazing part is not that they were all descendants of the little Canadian sire nobody wanted for $25,000 as a yearling in 1961 but they were bred in 8 different countries on 5 different continents.

Animal Kingdom (USA) - great great great grandson x2
Red Cadeaux (GB) - great great grandson x2
Planteur (IRE) - great great grandson x2

photos from Andrew Watkins Dubai Racing Club

videos of each race
http://www.dubaiworldcup.com/media/videos/videos

Dubai World Cup 2013 - Sheema Classic $5M

click on to enlarge photo

In the second to last race of the day it was the relentless Irish bred St Nicholas Abbey showing his determination to hold off the Japanese bred Gentildonna to win the Dubai Sheema Classic for trainer Aidan O'brien and of course another 1-2-3 finish for the descendants of the Dancer.

St Nicholas Abbey (IRE) - great grandson
Gentildonna (JPN) - great great granddaughter x3
Very Nice Name (FR) - great great grandson x2

photo from Andrew Watkins Dubai Racing Club

Dubai World Cup 2013 - Dubai Duty Free $5M

click on to enlarge photo

As the stakes rise it's the mare Sajjhaa sneaking through on the rail to win the Dubai Duty free for England's breeding and another 1-2-3 finish for descendants of Northern Dancer.

Sajjhaa (GB) - great great great granddaughter x2
The Apache (SAF) - great great grandson x2
Giofra (GB) - great great granddaughter x3

photo from Andrew Watkins Dubai Racing Club

Dubai World Cup 2013 - Golden Shaheen $2M

click on to enlarge photo

The USA bred Reynaldothewizard winning the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen and another 1-2-3 finish for descendants of the Dancer. That's 15 for 15 on the day for the little sire nobody wanted for $25,000 in 1962.

Reynaldothewizard (USA) - great great grandson x2
Balmont Mast (IRE) - great great grandson
Krypton Factor (GB) - grteat great grandson x2

photo from Andrew Watkins Dubai Racing Club

Dubai World Cup 2013 - Al Quoz Sprint $1M

<

It was all southern hemisphere in the Sprint with two new countries heard from - all 3 were descendants of our little hero.

Shea Shea (SAF) - great great grandson x2
Joy and Fun (NZ) - great great grandson x2
Eagle Regiment (AUS) - great great granson

photo from Andrew Watkins Dubai Racing Club