King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2014

The classy Taghrooda became the first filly in 38 years to win the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot yesterday. It was Telescope finishing second and Mukhadram third. All three are descendants of Northern Dancer.

1) Taghrooda (GB) great granddaughter x2 through the young Sadlers Wells mare Ezima
2) Telescope (IRE) great grandson x2 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
3) Mukhadroom (GB) great great great grandson x2 through Giants Causeway

image from Getty Images

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q-VhZmP4uE

Hats and Horseshoes 2014 - Lexie Lou takes the 155th running of the Queen's Plate

What a great event to attend in person if you ever get a chance. It was the filly Lexie Lou dominating the boys in the big race. All 15 entries in the Plate were descendants of Northern Dancer. It was free parking and a free event if you did not want to sit in the grandstand. We spent most of our time around the walking ring area and on the apron of the track. We received one free wager each for registering as a guest and we were able to make that last for 10 out of 11 races. There was plenty of fashion to go along with the racing making it a very colourful day.

In the Plate
1) Lexie Lou - great granddaughter through Sadlers Wells/Sligo Bay
2) Ami's Holiday - great great great grandson x3 through Storm Bird/Storm Cat
3) Asserting Bear - great great grandson x3 through Nuryev/Be My Guest

video of race
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvAHPq6ywrM">

Two Continents - Two G1 Classics - Japan's Takarazuka Kinen and the Irish Derby

Heading into Queen's Plate weekend I am playing catch up from last weekend when two Group 1 classics were run on two continents. In the $3 Million Takarazuka Kinen from Japan it was the grey Gold Ship winning it for the second year in a row. The top 3 finishers all bred in Japan were descendants of Northern Dancer. In the $1.7 Million Irish Derby it was Australia completing the rare double winning the Epsom and Irish Derbies. Once again the top 3 finishers all bred in Europe were descendants of our little Canadian sire.

Images - Gold Ship on top Australia on bottom from BBC and JRA

Japan's Takarazuka Kinen

1) Gold Ship (JPN) - great great great grandson x2 through Northern Taste and The Minstrel
2) Curren Mirotic (JPN) - great great great grandson x2 through Lyphard and Nijinsky
3) Verxina (JPN) - great great granddaughter through Nuryev

video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlZm7vrhEPU

Irish Derby

1) Australia (GB) grandson x2 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
2) Kingfisher (IRE) grandson x3 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
3) Orchestra (IRE) grandson x2 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAQ-X964d1k

Belmont Stakes 2014 - No Triple Chrome

Tonalist wins the 2014 Belmont Stakes denying California Chrome the Triple Crown. Commissioner finished second with Medal Count in third, California Chrome was in a dead heat for fourth. The top three were all descendants of our Northern Dancer.

Tonalist - great great grandson x2 through Topsider and Nijinsky
Commissioner - great great great grandson x2 through Vice Regent/Deputy Minister
Medal Count - great great grandson through daughter Radiant Glow


image from Carlo Allegri Reuters

video of race
http://www.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/tonalist-wins-belmont-stakes-california-chrome-fourth

Epsom Derby 2014 goes to Australia

In the second jewel of Britain's Triple Crown it was favourite Australia "born to win the Derby" over Kingston Hill and Romsdal finishing third. It was the third Epsom Derby in a row for trainer Aidan O'Brien and that's the first time that has happened since 1780 (a bit of history with this Classic Race). All three were descendants of Northern Dancer.

Australia - great grandson x2 through Sadlers Wells/Galileo
Kingston Hill - great great great grandson x3 through Danzig/Danehill
Romsdal - great great great grandson through Nijinski/Sadlers Wells/Danzig


images from BBC

video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDVcFys0F2k

Preakness 2014 - California Chrome

Well, he has managed to match the accomplishments of his great great grandfather of 50 years ago winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Will he be able to do what Northern Dancer didn't do and win the Belmont Stakes in three weeks time to become the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years? It was a dominant performance with Chrome and Ride on Curlin 10 lengths clear of the rest of the field and Chrome not yielding to the great run by Ride on Curlin. Social Inclusion was third. The top 3 were all descendants of Northern Dancer.

California Chrome - great great grandson x2 through daughter Dance Number
Ride on Curlin - great great grandson x2 through Storm Cat
Social Inclusion - great great great grandson through El Gran Senor


image from AP Tony Stewart
(click to enlarge)

video of race
http://www.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/triple-crown-recaps/california-chrome-wins-139th-preakness-stakes-keeps-triple-crown

Kentucky Derby 2014 - California Chrome

It's quite a rags to riches story. His dam, Love The Chase was purchased for only $8,000 and now she is the mom of a Kentucky Derby winner. Love The Chase was the granddaughter of one of Northern Dancer's prolific daughters in Dance Number so it's hard to believe she was such a bargain. Longshot Commanding Curve was second and Danza third. Of course all three were descendants of The Dancer.

California Chrome - great great grandson x2 through daughter Dance Number
Commanding Curve - great great grandson x2 through Storm Cat/Storm Bird
Danza - great great grandson through Deputy Minister/Vice Regent

photo from Getty

video of race
http://stream.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/?pid=70&referrer=http://www.kentuckyderby.com/watch

British Triple Crown - Qipco 2000 Guineas 2014 goes to Night Of Thunder

Triple Crowns get under way on both sides of the Atlantic today. In the first leg of the British Triple Crown - the 2000 Guineas it was a 40-1 shot in Night of Thunder crossing the wire first (while crossing the track sideways) ahead of Kingman and Australia. All 3 are descendants of Northern Dancer. Night Of Thunder is a grandson of Dubai Millennium through Dubawi. You can read about the brilliant but sad tale of Dubai Millennium from the blog post below.

Night Of Thunder (IRE) - great great grandson x4 through Dubai Millenium/Dubawi
Kingman (GB) - great great grandson x3 through Danzig/Green Desert
Australia (GB) - great grandson through Sadlers Wells/Galileo

photo from Steve Parsons/PA

link to Dubai Millennium post - no ordinary Joe
http://northerndancerblog.blogspot.ca/search?q=dubai+millennium
video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7boqDEAvvic

Dubai World Cup 2014 - The Cup

Wow, another track record as African Story wins it for Godolphin and the Sheikh. Mukhadram had a gutsy performance to finish second and Cat O'Mountain finished third. The coverage from beautiful Meydan was magnificent and it was a great day for the grandkids of Northern Dancer taking 24 of 24 top three spots in the richest day of racing in the world earning another $25 million dollars. The 24 were bred in 7 different countries on 5 different continents to emphasize the international impact The Dancer had as a sire. In case you don't know the whole story - no one wanted our little Canadian hero for $25,000 as a yearling in 1962. He won the Kentucky Derby two years later (50 years ago this May) and the rest is history. Absolutely the greatest sire of all time.

1) African Story (GB) - great great grandson x2 through Nuryev and Danehill/Danzig
2) Mukhadram (GB) - great great great grandson x2 through Giant's Causeway/Storm Cat
3) Cat O'Mountain (USA) - great great grandson through Storm Cat/Storm Bird

video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQWT2zIID8w#t=17

bottom photo from Pankaj Sharma - Gulf News

top photo from Andrew Watkins - Dubai Racing Club

Dubai World Cup 2014 - Dubai Sheema Classic

The Japan Cup winner Gentildonna showed her class and heart fighting through a crowd to win the $5M Sheema Classic. Cirrus Des Aigles was second and another mare Ambivalent was third. Of course all three are descendants of Northern Dancer.

1) Gentildonna (JPN) - great great granddaughter x3 through Danzig and Bertolini
2) Cirrus Des Aigles (FR) - great great great grandson through Nijinsky
3) Ambivalent (IRE) - great great great grandson x3 through Montjeu/Sadlers Wells and Dance Spell

The race was marred by tragedy as the Irish bred great grandson Mars died of a heart attack during the race. It is so hard to witness this aspect of the sport but it always looms.

Video of race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9biB3QJYhAA&list=UUj3H-NEGJohQ6zJJc_330Gw

photo from Virendra Saklani - Gulf News