“It seems like only yesterday when I stood at the stall of an under-sized yearling by Nearctic, out of Natalma.
He was in the corner, head down, his hind quarters facing me.
Maybe he was embarrassed at the comments horsemen were making about him. Some of the prospective buyers at E.P. Taylor’s 1962 pre-priced sale at Windfields Farm called him a “runt”. There were no buyers of the late foal with a $25,000 price tag. Some showed interest.
Well, that “little guy” became everyman’s horse.
He was “our” horse to root home in the 90th running of The Kentucky Derby.
And the now well-muscled bay colt, with a distinctive white blaze and three white stockings, didn’t disappoint. It was a 12-horse field, but the race was really between Northern Dancer and the long-striding California hero, Hill Rise.
Hill Rise’s jockey, Bill Shoemaker, had rejected Northern Dancer as his derby mount, saying; “a good big horse can always beat a good little horse.”
Hill Rise towered over Northern Dancer as he pranced and seemed to preen on the way to the starting gate. Northern Dancer had the demeanor of a stable pony. At least until they sprung to the roar of over 90,000 fans at Churchill Downs.
Northern Dancer, trained by Horatio Luro, pounced like a cat after a mouse, then was settled into his jockey, Bill Hartack’s, comfortable hold, mid-pack. On the far turn Northern Dancer started to move up on the leaders, Mr Brick and Royal Shuck. Shoemaker and Hill Rise weren’t far behind, in a stalking mode.
Approaching the turn into the homestretch, Northern Dancer was moved off the rail to avoid the fading Mr Brick. It was a decisive move because just then a hole opened between horses. In a flash, Hartack send the agile Canadian-bred through the opening. Shoemaker saw the opportunity, too, but Hill Rise did not have the turn of foot The Dancer possessed.
Now clear, Northern Dancer dashed into the lead. Hill Rise was on the move too, on the outside and seemed to be taking one long stride to two of Northern Dancer’s choppy, but determined steps. Hill Rises flaring nostrils were at Northern Dancer’s throat latch. That’s as close as he came.
Northern Dancer sped under the finish line in a track record two minutes flat.
Now, the little horse that was an unwanted yearling was Canada’s horse.”
Photo: : Richard Stone Reeves portrait of Northern Dancer and Elaine McPherson’s bronze of same, from Bruce Walker’s private collection.
It is debatable that any publicist ever enjoyed the tenure in office that Bruce Walker did during a laudatory career that began in 1960 and concluded following his retirement in 1997. He pioneered events and promotions that enhanced the sport of horse racing, some of which are still growing in stature. “I was working at United Press International when Jim Coleman (the Ontario Jockey Club publicity director) hired me in 1960.” In 1967 Walker took over the department, promoting racing at Woodbine, Fort Erie and Greenwood.
Bruce Walker was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013 as a Communicator Bruce Walker | Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame