I think many people forget about Native Dancer when the question of who was the greatest of all time. No offense to Dark Star, but Native Dancer was a horse of immense talent. His offspring have more than made up for his Derby defeat!!!
A horse that is in the pedigree of the last 14 derby WINNERS & all 20 derby starters could hardly be to blame for today's accidental breakdowns! If that were true there would be NO derby winners from his line but his sons/grandsons started winning back in the 60's & are still winning 40 years later! He wasn't unsound-he was injured due to mismanagement. A horse that can run 4 races in 1 month as a two year old (Aug 1952) & 6 races in 2 months at 3 is not unsound! He deserves nothing but praise!!
This is wonderful, beautiful Native Dancer, oh God, I love this. And Kauai King is gorgeous, love his bucking and dancing and rolling in snow !! thanks
When I first started reading about the history of American horse racing Native Dancer was the only horse that people considered worthy of mentioning in the same breath as Man O' War. Since then there has been a odd fall off in the public's opinion of the great horse. I think it may have something to do with the sport become speed obsessed; come from behind horses don't (and strategically shouldn't) consistently post fast times. Native Dancer - three great years in a row - one of the best.
I never got to see him run but I was privy to his "mating" when later he was in stud. He was the highest paid stallion in the world then.. $25000 for a live colt guaranteed. Remember that at that time, $25000 was hugely more than it is today. Anyway it was fascinating. After the "teaser" ascertains that the broodmare was in heat, Native Dancer is led to her side. Even though he is mated twice a day during this season, he still knows that he is KING. He foals have been very successful.
Awesome video! Thank you so much! Native Dancer is my all time favorite! CF did you actually get to see him? I believe he never has gotten the credit he deserved-all due to that one loss. However, I wonder if people stop to consider that when he lost the derby it was his third week in a row of running in a stakes race. Nobody would dream of doing that today! Then 2 weeks later he ran in the Withers and the Preakness the very next week. That's 5 races in 6 weeks with 4 wins! Pretty amazing!
How awesome that you got to see Native Dancer! What race did you see - the Derby? He was the most amazing horse! Especially since he was not well handled - often running several times per month. In fact, from his first start at 3 thru the Belmont - he ran 6 races in 60 days! Imagine what he could have done with 30 days between each race like he should have had!
@TheDarleyarabian Just like his progeny, Afleet Alex, who I regard as probably the greatest racehorse in the 21st century. Ahead of Ghostzapper and the rest. IT's not a popular opinion, but, it's mine. Afleet Alex was a straight up and down BEAST. Everyone thought his Preakness win was a fluke and then he exterminates the field in the Belmont. "Afleet Alex just passed Giacomo like he was standing still!!" Remember that? He wrecked that 1.5 mile Belmont track in historic fashion.
Glad to hear he's your favorite- he's mine too! However, just so you know-he didn't have very small ankles-he had very LARGE ankles-one in particular. In spite of that he never had any heat in them or any lameness due to them. The injury that stopped his meeting with Tom Fool was a foot bruise. The few "public" injuries to horses of his line are simply because MOST of the top horses are his descendants and there will be injuries. The vast majority of the horses related to him do not breakdown.
@cf1970 Definitely its so annoying, everytime native dancer is mentioned its his loss in the kentucky derby thats the focal point. he was one of the greatest racehorses and sires of all time and prob the most underated. absolutely fantastic and beautiful horse whos progeny are winning everything in europe and his grandson is the highest ever rated european post war horse. check out seabird his accelaration and ease at which he eats up the ground in front of him is just like his grandad.
I can without a doubt agree that ND should be considered one of the top....but I'm inclined to my own opinion, I just don't see him in the top 5. I'm not particularly fond of the amount of inbreeding that has become a product from this horse, but that's probably my only dislike, other than that I'd say he'd be in the top 10 somewhere.
