Native Dancer aka The Grey Ghost
From AlexBrownRacing
Contents |
Making of a Champion
Alfred G. Vanderbilt was once asked if he had a secret for breeding a top racehorse. His reply was "Just breed any sire to a Discovery mare." The comment was not meant to be taken seriously, but it was based on the fact that his stallion Discovery was one of the most successful broodmare sires in history, with his two most notable daughters being Miss Disco, the dam of 1957 Horse of the Year Bold Ruler, and Geisha, who produced Vanderbilt's brilliantly fast and temperamental champion Native Dancer, a son of 1945 Preakness Stakes winner Polynesian.
Native Dancer was foaled on March 27, 1950, at Dan W. Scott's Scott Farm outside of Lexington. He was raised in Maryland, at Vanderbilt's Sagamore Farm, and the big gray began training for his racing career in California during the winter and early spring of 1952. His impressive performance in workouts attracted attention long before he made his first start. Trainer Bill Winfrey told reporters:
"The gray is the fastest horse I've ever trained. He shows good times in workouts, but that's not what's impressive. It's the fact that the big gray does it without any effort. He actually seems to be holding himself back."
Racing History
Races on Youtube:
Native Dancer racing and on the farm, along with various clips of his offspring
Photos of Native Dancer
Legacy
Without Native Dancer, there would be no Mr. Prospector. Or Northern Dancer. Or Affirmed-Alydar "match races" in the Triple Crown. Or an Easy Goer to give Sunday Silence the run of his life. Or quite literally the last two Kentucky Derby winners, Real Quiet and Charismatic. Even Maryland's triumvirate of top stallions--Two Punch, Polish Numbers, and Allen's Prospect--all descend from the "Galloping Grey Ghost" of Sagamore, who died 33 years ago of a twisted intestine.
