Northern Dancer’s 60th Anniversary of his Kentucky Derby Win
It has been sixty years since that day in May 1964, when Northern Dancer became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby.
It took him exactly two minutes to become a national hero in Canada. That was how long it took the stocky bay colt, ridden by Bill Hartack, to run the mile and one-quarter distance of the Kentucky Derby May 2, 1964, defeating Hill Rise by a neck. Not only was it one of the most thrilling stretch runs in Derby history at Louisville’s Churchill Downs, it was also the fastest time in which the most famous horse race in the United States had been run, a record that was later surpassed by Secretariat in 1973.
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame will feature some personal and heartfelt stories about Northern Dancer from individuals who’s lives had been touched by this legendary horse, leading up to the 150th edition of the Run for the Roses on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
The mayor of Toronto Donald Dean Summerville, awarded him the key to the city, billboards acknowledged his feat, Canada’s sportswriters voted him Athlete of the Year and he was deluged with fan mail. Two weeks after the Derby, Northern Dancer won the second event of the Triple Crown, the Preakness at Pimlico. Three weeks later, attempting to become the first Triple Crown winner since Citation in 1948, he finished a tired third in the Belmont Stakes at Aqueduct, N.Y. Returning to Woodbine, Northern Dancer won the Queen’s Plate, which would turn out to be the last race of his career. A bowed tendon prompted trainer Horatio Luro to stop the racing career of the son of Nearctic–Natalma. He would be named Canada’s Horse of the Year and the top 3-year-old in North America.
He was inducted to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1976 in its inaugural class and other honours include Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (1965), United States Racing Hall of Fame (1976) and in 1999, a Canadian postage stamp was created of him.
Sportswriter Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times wrote: “He probably takes a hundred more strides than anyone else, but he’s harder to pass than a third martini.”
We invite you to share your own memories of Northern Dancer and how he impacted your life on our social media outlets or by sending an email to admin@horseracinghalloffame.com
Bruce Walker, CHRHF Communicator Inductee shares his memories of Northern Dancer.
Marianne De Gannes Ortepi – Northern Dancer – A Lifetime of Personal Influence
Muriel Lennox – Memories of Northern Dancer
Bernard McCormack – Memories of Northern Dancer
Jim Bannon – Northern Dancer Travelogue – Introduction and Part 1
Jim Bannon – Northern Dancer Travelogue – Part 2 – The Horse
Jim Bannon – Northern Dancer Travelogue – Part 3 – The Breeding Shed