It took Northern Dancer exactly two minutes to become a national hero in Canada. That is how long it took the stocky, bay colt, ridden by Bill Hartack, to run the 1-1/4 miles of the Kentucky Derby, May 2, 1964, at Louisville's Churchill Downs as he defeated Hill Rise by a neck. This was the fastest time in which the most famous horse race in the United States had been run, a record that was surpassed later by the great Secretariat in 1973.

Northern Dancer held the lead in the Kentucky Derby – the first Canadian-bred horse to win the premier leg of the American Triple Crown. Not only that but it had been done in the record time of two minutes flat! When Northern Dancer won the Preakness in Baltimore, Canadian hopes soared: perhaps E.P. Taylor’s colt would become the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win the Triple Crown.

Bill Hartack became Northern Dancer's permanent jockey, guiding him to his best season in 1964 at age 3 when he won the Flamingo Stakes, Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Queen's Plate. He was also named the Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old of 1964.

As a 2-year-old, Northern Dancer won 7 times and was 2nd twice in 9 starts, earning $90,635. His victories included the Summer Stakes at Fort Erie, the Coronation Futurity at Woodbine, the Carleton Stakes at Greenwood, and the Remsen Stakes at New York's Aqueduct. At the Flamingo Stakes in Florida, Northern Dancer won by two lengths, becoming the first Canadian-bred to win a $100,000 race. Northern Dancer then went on to win the Florida Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes before his Derby and Preakness. With his Queen's Plate victory, Northern Dancer would finish his 3-year-old season with seven wins and two thirds in nine starts for $490,171.

Following his 7 ½ length win in the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Northern Dancer was retired because of a bowed tendon where he was than laid out to stud. In his two years of racing, Northern Dancer won 14 of his 18 races and never finished worse than third. In his two years of racing, Northern Dancer won 14 of his 18 races and never finished worse than third.

Northern Dancer , May 27, 1961, bay, Neartic - Natalma, by Native Dancer
Owner : Windfields Farm
Trainer: H. A. Luro
Breeder: E.P. Taylor
Jockey: W. Hartack

Pedigree:

Northern Dancer, bay c. foaled 1961	Nearctic	Nearco	Pharos
			Nogara
		Lady Angela	Hyperion
			Sister Sarah
	Natalma	Native Dancer	Polynesian
			Geisha
		Almahmoud	Mahmoud
			Arbitrator

Career Highlights:

• 1963 Champion 2-yr-old Male in Canada
• 1964 Champion 3-yr-old Male

Race Record

Year	Age	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Earnings
1963	2	9	7	2	0	90,635
1964	3	9	7	0	2	490,171
Totals		18	14	2	2	$580,806

At 2 years old:

1st:

• Maiden , 8-2-63, Fort Erie
• Summer S
• Allowance
• Allowance
• Coronation Futurity
• Carleton S
• Remsen S

2nd:

• Vandal S
• Cup and Saucer S

At 3 years old:

1st:

• Flamingo Stakes , 3-3-64, Hialeah, dirt, 1 1/8 miles, by 2 lengths, defeating Mr. Brick, Quadrangle, etc.
• Allowance , 3-28-64, Gulfstream, dirt, 7 furlongs, by 2 lengths.
• Florida Derby , 4-4-64, Gulfstream, dirt, 1 1/8 miles, by 1 length, defeating The Scoundrel, Dandy K., etc.
• Blue Grass Stakes , 4-23-64, Keeneland, dirt, 1 1/8 miles, by 1/2 length, defeating Allen Adair, Royal Shuck, etc.
• Kentucky Derby , 5-2-64, Churchill, dirt, 1 1/4 miles, by neck, defeating Hill Rise, The Scoundrel, etc. New track and stakes record of 2:00 flat.
• Preakness Stakes , 5-16-64, Pimlico, dirt, 1 3/16 miles, by 2 1/4 lengths, defeating The Scoundrel, Hill Rise, etc.
• Queen's Plate , 6-30-64, Woodbine, dirt, 1 1/4 miles, by 7 1/2 lengths, defeating Langcrest, Grand Garcon, etc.

3rd:

• Allowance , 2-10-64, Hialeah, dirt, 6 furlongs, by 2 lengths.
• Belmont Stakes , 6-6-64, Aqueduct, dirt, 1 1/2 miles, by 6 lengths, to Quadrangle and Roman Brother.