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| NATIVE DANCER |
| Some people say that Native Dancer was not 'right' the day of the Derby; people did not like the way he walked off the track. Whatever the reason that people tried to justify the colt's loss, Native Dancer came back 100% in the Withers Stakes two weeks later. He beat only two other rivals by four lengths. He would then revenge his Derby loss by winning the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in the same fashion. He would then go on to finish his year by winning the Dwyer Stakes, Arlington Classic (by nine lengths), the Travers Stakes and then the American Derby. Native Dancer bruised his foot during the American Derby, and his year had to be cut short, unable to take on older horses such as Tom Fool, who would be named Horse of the Year. Rested until may the next year, Native Dancer returned at Belmont in an allowance race. He easily won. Then he entered the Metropolitan Handicap. He was saddled with 130 pounds, giving twenty pounds to some of his competitors. Native Dancer was able to make a closing move and won by a neck over Straight Face. Native Dancer's foot would flare up again and did not return to the track until the middle of August, in the Oneonta Handicap. Given 137 pounds, Native Dancer was carrying more weight than he had ever had, while the two other horses carried 18 and 30 pounds less. Native Dancer drew off at the beginning of the stretch and crossed the wire nine lengths ahead. This would be Native Dancer's last race, as once again his foot was injured. Rather than risking a more serious injury, Vanderbilt decided to retire the great colt; even though it meant he would not race him in France. Even though he had only three starts that year, Native Dancer would recieve top Handicap honors as well as the Horse of the Year title. Native Dancer would go onto be a very successful sire and broodmare. His decendents include Northern Dancer, Raise A Native (who sired the famous sire Mr.Prospector, among others), Forward Gal, Ruffian, and a high percentage of today's horses carry Native Dancer blood. On November 16, 1967, Native Dancer died after going into shock during his recovery of colic surgery. He was buried on the grounds of his home, Vanderbilt't Sagamore Farm. |
| Life Time Record Starts: 22 Won: Preakness Stakes East View Stakes 1st: 21 Belmont Stakes Futurity Stakes 2nd: 1 Travers Stakes Hopeful Stakes Earnings: $785,240 Arlington Classic Grand Union Hotel Stakes American Derby Saratoga Special Withers Stakes Flash Stakes Wood Memorial Youthful Stakes Gotham Stakes Dwyer Stakes Placed: Kentucky Derby Metropolitan Handicap Oneonta Handicap Inducted into Racing Hall of Fame in 1963. |
| Sickle Unbreakable Blue Grass Polynesian Polymelian Black Polly Black Queen Native Dancer Display Discovery Ariadne Geisha John P. Grier Miyaka La Chica |
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