Many people considered Native Dancer to be the greatest horse in American racing history, rivaling even the superiority of the legendary Man o' War, later pointing out that even Secretariat didn't match the enormous length of Man o' War's stride, but Native Dancer had equaled the twenty-eight foot span. Said Joe Hall:
"He may have been the greatest horse of all time. He'd have given any horse in history a race and probably have beaten them all -Man o' War, Secretariat, and the rest- just as long as no one actually told him to do it, just as long as they'd let him do it his way."
At stud, Native Dancer founded an entire line. The names of his offspring are almost legendary, including Raise a Native, Kauai King, Dancer's Image, and the English Classic winner Hula Dancer. His daughters included Natalma, the dam of Northern Dancer, and Shenanigans, who produced the champions Ruffian and Icecapade. Native Dancer's son Raise a Native was an outstanding sire himself, siring Exclusive Native (the sire of Affirmed and Genuine Risk), Alydar (a Hall of Fame member, Leading Sire of 1990, and sire of Horses of the Year Alysheba and Criminal Type), Majestic Prince (the 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner), and Mr. Prospector (the sire of the champions Conquistador Cielo, Eillo, Gulch, Seeking the Gold, Tank's Prospect, Fappiano, Afleet, Rhythm, Forty Niner, etc.) Native Dancer's son Native Charger sired the champion Forward Gal as well as 1970 Belmont Stakes winner High Echelon and the good filly Summer Guest.
www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/nativedancer.html
Topic Author
