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Native Dancer
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Native Dancer

1950 - Horse | Deceased
Owner(s):
Alfred G. Vanderbilt  - 
Trainer:
William C. Winfrey
Bred:
Maryland (USA) by Alfred G. Vanderbilt  -  [Add Data]
Pedigree:
Polynesian  -  Geisha  by  Discovery
Rating:
 
 
nativedancers
Nice
Profile Pedigree Progeny Siblings Biography News & Notes Photos Comments Log

What the Nation is saying about Native Dancer...

April 19th marks the day 60 years ago that Native Dancer began his 22 race career. Only denied a win in the Derby, but for a few more lengths he would have passed Dark Star to become the only undefeated Triple Crown winner in history. He proved his versatility with wins from 5 furlongs to the mile and a half Belmont. Any horse with this phenomenal record deserves a spot near the top of the rankings. Native Dancer should be there now, instead of languishing at #17. Who’s with me?
  • Show All 6 Comments
  • airedale2008 · jmcleav: Yes, the great Seattle Slew was undefeated through his Triple Crown races. Afterwards, he had a fourth and two seconds. If Native Dancer had won the Derby, he would have been the only Triple Crown winner to have never been beaten. Does someone have an explanation why a horse with this spectacular record is floundering at #17? · 3 days ago ·
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  • cugel the clever · As I mentioned in an earlier thread, most people around here are relatively new to the sport and they only know about, and bother to learn about, the horses in recent years that they've seen. Therefore, horses racing within the past couple of decades are ranked disproportionaly high. · 3 days ago ·
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It gets real hard to rank, we like to handicap and debate and we all have opinions, but Really Native Dancer was unique and his contribution was incalculable, so we have to forget simplistic ranking. Really, he was truly a great on so many levels.
Native Dancer is #18 today. This is a horse who went 21 for 22, only beaten in the Derby by a head after being bumped twice and suffering a poor ride from his jockey. Another few yards and he would have retired at 22 straight. The Grey Ghost was HOTY in '52 & '54 and only missed out in '53 to Tom Fool's undefeated season. Native Dancer was the first equine superstar on TV and deserves a spot in the Top 10.
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  • cocoa2 · @icyhotboo: If what you are meaning to say is I don · 4 days ago ·
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  • cocoa2 · t respect horses from the past your mistaken. I wouldn't put any horse from the past year on the top 100 list, although a few might be close. · 4 days ago ·
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Amazing horse, would have wanted to see match race with Tom Fool!
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  • cocoa2 · I would call Alsab and Whirlaway the best example of a speed horse starting and winning out front. · 5 days ago ·
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  • icyhotboo · simply a comment cocoa2 no problem. keep em coming amusing as hell · 5 days ago ·
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Blogger Matt Shifman takes a historical look at the New York Derby trail, as well as, what an infusion of money could mean to this year's road to Louisville through the Big Apple ...Read More
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  • AndyScoggin · UPDATE: Here are some purse comparisons for MSW/Allowance NW1. New York: 65/62, Parx: 45/47, Santa Anita: 56/58, Gulfstream: 52/54 · 18 days ago ·
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  • AndyScoggin · UPDATE: The Withers closes with 42 nominations of which 20 are also entered in Sunday'sHoly Bull at GP. If Hansen runs in the Holy Bull that could mean a nice field at AQU. Withers nominees include: Algorithms, Alpha, Big Blue Nation, Casual Trick, Consortium, Discreet Dancer, Howe Great, My Adonis, Optimizer, Reveron, State of Play, and Trinniberg. All are nominated for the Holy Bull except State of Play. · 18 days ago ·
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The Top 10 Horses to run on American soil according to ZATT. Let’s count it down…10) Native Dancer - The Gray Ghost was racing’s first television star and so dominated his peers of 1952 through 1954...Read More
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  • LAZMANNICK · No argument from me. I might place Count Fleet a little higher. Two honorable mentions are Buckpasser and Round Table. If Buckpasser wouldn’t have been injured and would have competed in the TC races (the same year he won 13 in a row) I have no doubt he would have won the TC (he defeated the winners of all three races that year), and in doing so he would be considered probably in the top six or seven. Round Table raced in what is arguably the best three year old crop ever in N/A. He won carrying huge weights, at distances as short as 4F and as long as 13F, and was probably one of America’s all time best turf horses though he is possibly best remembered for his prowess on dirt. Certainly a great lot of horses. · 24 days ago ·
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  • cocoa2 · I'd put Kelso a bit higher, but all in all I agree. Man O' War ahead of Secretariat, but just by a nose. · 24 days ago ·
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My horse is a descent from Native Dancer. She is a Quarter Horse who used to race. She was good. She is retired and is the same color as her great great great grandfather. She gets colic at least once every year. Guess she gets that form Native Dancer. (Who died at age 17 of colic)
Native Dancer is one of my favorites, who other than Secretariat in the Belmont, would he have not had a chance to track down? I think he's worthy of any top 5 list. John Eisenberg's book about Native Dancer is a must read for any Horse Racing fan.
Legendary horses throughout history continue to thrill us when we read accounts of their greatness. This sampling of horse profiles spans eras, countries and even breeds!Read More
After her neck winning thriller over Theyskens’ Theory in Saturday’s Garden City Stakes (Gr. I), I began to ponder about all of the grey and roan thoroughbreds out there today. The greats usually come few and far between but last couple years have proven different as there are a handful of them whic...Read More
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  • JWC8282 · Thank!! Glad you all like it so much!! · 99 days ago ·
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  • JWC8282 · *Thanks!! · 99 days ago ·
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Tom Fool won the Pimlico Special by eight lengths, capping a perfect 4yo campaign with 10 stakes wins in as many starts.Read More
Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox was beaten...Read More
A recent column by Horse Racing Nation's newest writer, Bill Heller, really got me thinking. In the piece, Heller told of his first ever trip to a thoroughbred racetrack. As luck would have it, him and his buddies were treated to one of Secretariat's earliest powerhouse performances. The race was th...Read More
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  • MBPhipps · I recently rewatched the video of Secretariat winning the Belmont, and that brought me to tears...again. But I couldn't possibly decide on what I would have wanted my FIRST race horse experience to be. As it stands, I can't remember who it actually was! What I am grateful for though, is the fact that my years around the track have included visits to the winner's circle with some of the finest horses in their class the country. · 197 days ago ·
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  • footlick · Allez France would be my choice. · 197 days ago ·
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While the Prince of Wales lost all its importance when the Queen’s Plate winning filly didn’t show her snout, one good thing did come out of the result. Pender Harbour’s victory allowed the chance to salute one of thoroughbred racing’s legends, almost 100 years later.Read More
Who are the greatest horses of all-time? It’s amazing how such a seemingly simple question can elicit such a varying array of passionate answers. Some swear there will never be another like Man O’ War, while others think the more recent Big Red was the improved version. Read More
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  • humphrey · Interesting that both Bold Ruler and Red has short lives......No longevity there unlike, for example, Round Table who was running around his paddock at Claiborne almost to age 35 · 378 days ago ·
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  • ~RuffianQueenOfRacing~ · Greatest male racehorse: Secretariat, world record for 1 1/2 mile, greatest female racehorse, Fashion, set world record for 4 miles whilst running in a match race against the great Boston! Fashion was undefeated in her first 20 starts! a record that is still untouched for any american female racehorse! · 222 days ago ·
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Native Dancer does belong higher
why the hell is the above and beyone amazing horse not ever have 9 stars!! not even in the top 10 where he belongs!
Hi everyone, I am a 14 year old Native Dancer enthusiast, and I write a blog about everything thoroughbred horseracing. I think you will enjoy reading my series on Native Dancer, titled "The Dancer".
  • Bunny Hinzman · Here is the link to my piece on his Kentucky Derby: http://bitsnbunny.blogspot.com/2011/05/dancer-kentucky-derby.html · 247 days ago ·
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  • JacobKelly · Check out my blog on the three-year-olds: http://mystifiedtickets.blogspot.com/ · 247 days ago ·
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Native Dancer nicknamed the Gray Ghost, he was the first horse made famous through the medium of television. I have just completed his past performance history and with a record of 22-21-1-0, its easy to see why he was named Champion 3 year old male. I have included the video's I could find, if anyone has more, please add them in.
  • BrianZipse · Thank you for your contibutions to the site, ruffian65! · 288 days ago ·
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  • bband · This horse's record is simply awesome. Should be ranked even higher. · 288 days ago ·
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From his son Raise a Native and through his daughter and Dam of Northern Dancer the Grey Ghost dominates the Blood of today's TB. Very few are truly great Race Horses and become even greater Sires. The great Ruffian was by a Native Dancer daughter, Native Dancer will always be at the TOP of my List.

Native Dancer - Pedigree

[Edit]
PolynesianUnbreakableSickle
Blue Grass
Black PollyPolymelian
Black Queen
GeishaDiscoveryDisplay
Ariadne
MiyakoJohn P Grier
La Chica

Native Dancer - Race Results & Past Performances

[Add Race Result][Add Horse]
Date(Descending)
Fin
Jockey
Tr
#
Dist.[Filter]
Sf.
Race
$
Cnd
1st
2nd
3rd
Time
View Details08/16/541stE GuerinSar17 fD 04+ MNative DancerFirst GlanceGigantic1:35.20
View Details05/15/541stE GuerinBel61 mileDMetropolitan Hcp. (Met Mile)04 MNative DancerStraight FaceJamie K1:35.20
View Details05/07/541stE GuerinBel66 fDAllow04 MNative DancerLaffangoImpasse1:11.80
View DetailsView Video08/22/531stE GuerinWAS71 1/8 mDAmerican Derby03 MNative DancerLand LockedPrecious Stone1:48.40
View DetailsView Video08/15/531stE GuerinSar61 1/4 mDTravers Stakes03 MNative DancerDictarGuardian Ii2:05.60
View Details07/18/531stE GuerinAP71 mileDArlington Classic03 MNative DancerSir MangoVan Crosby1:38.00
View Details07/04/531stE GuerinAqu61 1/4 mDDwyer03 MNative DancerDictarGuardian Ii2:05.20
View Details06/13/531stE GuerinBel61 1/2mDBelmont Stakes-G103 MNative DancerJamie KRoyal Bay Gem2:28.00
View Details05/23/531stE GuerinPim71 3/16 mDPreakness-G103 MNative DancerJamie KRoyal Bay Gem1:57.80
View Details05/16/531stE GuerinBel61 mileDWithers 03 MNative DancerInvigoratorReal Brother1:36.20
View DetailsView Video05/02/532ndE GuerinCD81 1/4 mDKentucky Derby03 MDark StarNative DancerInvigorator2:02.00
View Details04/25/531stE GuerinJam61 1/8 mDWood Memorial03 MNative DancerTahitian KingInvigorator1:50.60
View Details04/18/531stE GuerinJam61 1/16 mDGotham03 MNative DancerMagic LampSckl's Sound1:44.20
View Details10/22/521stE GuerinJam61 1/16 mDEast View02 MNative DancerLaffangoTeds Jeep1:44.20
View Details09/27/521stE GuerinBel66 1/2 fDFuturity02 MNative DancerTahitian KingDark Star1:14.40
View Details09/22/521stE GuerinBel56 fDMSW02 MNative DancerTahitian KingReprimand1:09.60
View Details08/30/521stE GuerinSar66 1/2 fDHopeful02 MNative DancerTiger SkinPlatan1:18.80
View Details08/23/521stE GuerinSar46 fDGrand Union Hotel02 MNative DancerLaffangoTahitian King1:11.20
View Details08/16/521stE GuerinSar46 fDSaratoga Special02 MNative DancerDoc WalkerSouth Point1:13.20
View Details08/04/521stE GuerinSar65 1/2 fDFlash02 MNative DancerTiger SkinBradley0:10.60
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