Breeders Cup 2011 - Juvenile Fillies Turf

---------------------------------------------------------------------





It was another 1-2-3 finish for Dancer descendants in the Juvenile Fillies Turf with 2 of those descendants of the Dancer's amazing daughter Fanfreluche from his second crop of foals. Fanny had an impressive race record and an even more impressive breeding record but it was almost cut short when she was kidnapped in 1977 while in foal to Secretariat.

1) Stephanie's Kitten - great great granddaughter x3 (Fanny)
2) Stopsoppingmaria - great great granddaughter
3) Sweet Cat - great great granddaughter x3 (Fanny)

Images from Mathea Kelley and Getty Images

Link to blog post on Fanny - chapter 12 from book - both Stephanie's Kitten and Sweet Cat are descendants of the Dancer through Fanny and L'Enjoleur who are both mentioned here
http://northerndancerblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/chapter-12_2744.html

Breeders Cup 2011 - Juvenile Sprint

---------------------------------------------------------------------



They're off at the Breeders Cup 2011. It was a 1-2-3 finish Northern Dancer grandkids in the first of this year's Breeders Cup races.

1) Secret Circle - great grandson x2
2) Shumoos - great great granddaughter x2
3) Holdin Bullets - great great great grandson

image from Getty

video of race - click on thumbnail or wait for it to show in screen
http://www.breederscup.com/default.aspx

The Race that stops a Nation - Melbourne Cup 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Wow, it looked like a dead heat but it was the French bred Dunaden winning the 101st running of the Melbourne Cup by a whisker over the British bred Red Cadeaux with the German bred Lucas Cranach finishing 3rd. All three international breds are descendants of our little Dancer. I couldn't sleep so I got up to find out post time and caught the live broadcast on radio. Turns out we had a friend in Australia at the time of this year's Cup. Our very own piano man Greg Gallello can attest to the fact that the race stops the nation and provides quite a celebration.

1) Dunaden (FR) great great great grandson (x2)
2) Red Cadeaux (GB) great great grandson (x2)
3) Lucas Cranach (GER) great great grandson (x2)

images from IllawaraMercury and Fox sports

fox sports article and photo finish pic - announcer said he won it by a pixel - good call

http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-sports/horse-racing/melbourne-cup-result/story-e6frf41l-1226182547697

Image gallery from Sydney Morning Herald of Cup and Carnival
http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/sport/horseracing/melbourne-cup-2011-20111101-1msvz.html

early video of finish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehUuvGYFn5g

here is my favoritr Melbourne Cup - Makybe Diva winning her 3rd Cup in 2005 - so emotional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em-PsEhVlLU

Fillies Dominate Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2011

---------------------------------------------------------------------------


It was a 1-2-3 finish for the girls and they were all descendants of Northern Dancer in this year's exciting Arc. It was an emotional win for the German connections of Danedream who won the classic her great grand sire Nijinsky could not.

1) Danedream (Ger) great great granddaughter x2
2) Shareta (IRE) great great granddaughter x3
3) Snow Fairy (IRE) great great great granddaughter x2

Image from Reuters

Below is a great video of the race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb9K3oqp7FE

Windfields Farm Group on Facebook

-

There is a group on facebook that was set up originally for former employees of Windfields to stay in touch and discuss their experiences and how special of a place it was. Lately there has been a lot of discussion about the condition of my little hero's grave along with the other special horses buried there. Some media pressure resulted in some clean up but I think this group would like to see more happen (like a memorial). Have a look and join the group.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/2384512050/?id=10150311408187051¬if_t=group_activity

Masked Marvel takes 3rd leg of Triple Crown - St Leger

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the past 65 years there has only been one winner of Britain's Triple Crown and that was the amazing Nijinsky from Northern Dancer's second crop of foals. There was no winner again this year as all 3 races went to different winners. It was another 1-2-3 finish for Dancer descendants however with Masked Marvel winning the St Leger at Doncaster.

1) Masked Marvel - great great grandson x2
2) Brown Panther - great great grandson x2
3) Sea Moon - great great grandson x2

Image from racingfotos

Video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IakkfNVgBKc

Pour Moi wins 2011 Epsom Derby

---------------------------------------------------------


It was a 1-2 finish for Northern Dancer descendants in this year's Epsom Derby. Pour Moi came from way back at the top of the stretch to nip Treasure Beach and the Queen's Carlton House at the wire. Have a look at the video as Pour Moi's teenage jockey celebrates early in the irons after getting a whisker in front just as they crossed the wire in a blanket finish - exciting stuff.

Pour Moi - great grandson x2
Treasure Beach - great grandson x2
Carlton House - no descendant

Image from Alan Crowhurst getty images europe

Video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FAcL6iLMQ

Undefeated Frankel destroys field in 2011 2000 Guineas

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It's been a busy summer of 2011 for me and now it's time to catch up on the blog. It was a 1-2-3 finish for Northern Dancer descendants in the first of Britain's Triple Crown races in 2011. Favorite Frankel ran away with the 2000 Guineas to eventually win by 5 lengths. The second place finisher Dubawi Gold is a son of Dubawi from the only crop of foals of the incredible Dubai Millennium.

1) Frankel - great grandson x2
2) Dubawi Gold - great great grandson x2
3) Native Khan - great grandson

Image from Getty images

Video of 2000 Guineas 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQajCQ1_BSA

Link to post on Dubai Millennium
http://northerndancerblog.blogspot.com/search?q=dubai+millenium

Fantastic Filly Inglorious Wins 152nd Queen's Plate

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It was a 1-2 finish for the grandkids in the 152nd running of the Queen's Plate at Woodbine. Inglorious was the only filly in the race and trained by Josie Carroll who was the first female trainer to win the Queen's Plate in 2006 with Edenwold (anothe descendant of our Dancer). Inglorious won the race with an explosive move at the top of the stretch. Sorry for the late post - had a busy week.

1) Inglorious - great great granddaughter X2
2) Hippolytus - great great grandson

photo from Mark O'Neill of Toronto Sun

video of race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUhBVJElUt4

video tribute to this year's fillies and mares including Inglorious
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6W9f7DU8fc

Ruler On Ice Upsets in Belmont

-----------------------------------------------------------------


It was a 1-2-3 finish for descendants of our little Dancer in the Belmont. The great great grandmother of Ruler On Ice was Northern Dancer's daughter Fanfreleuche. Fanny was kidnapped when she was in foal from her farm in Kentucky. They found her being used as a saddle horse some time later. She, like the Dancer is in Canada's Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

1) Ruler On Ice - great great great grandson X3
2) Stay Thirsty - great grandson X2
3) Brilliant Speed - great great great grandson X3

That's jockey Jose Valdidivisia Jr celebrating in the Getty image above