Sky Conqueror (foaled May 9, 2002 in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

) is a Canadian

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

Background

Out of the

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equidae, equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more th ...

Heavenly Ballerina, a daughter of 1982 United States Horse of the Year,

Conquistador Cielo Conquistador Cielo (March 20, 1979 – December 17, 2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is best known for his performances as a three-year-old in 1982 when he won the Belmont Stakes and was voted United States Horse of the Year. B ...

, he was sired by Sky Classic, a son of the 1970 British Triple Crown champion,

Nijinsky Vaslav or Vatslav Nijinsky (12 March 1889/18908 April 1950) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish ancestry. He is regarded as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. Nijinsky was celebrated for his virtuosity and f ...

. Sky Conqueror was trained by Darwin Banach,

Racing career

Sky Conqueror was sent to the track at age three with his best Stakes race result a second in the

Chief Bearhart Stakes The Chief Bearhart Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on turf over a distance of a mile and a quarter (10 furlongs ...

Woodbine Racetrack Woodbine Racetrack is a race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group, Woodbine Racetrack manages and hosts Canada's most famous race, the King's Plate. The track ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

and a third at

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...

in November's Commonwealth Turf Stakes. Back on the track in April 2006, he had a fourth-place finish at

Keeneland Race Course Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for it ...

before being sent north to race again at Woodbine. After another third-place finish, he won the Grade II King Edward Breeders' Cup Stakes and the Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf. He won an allowance race tune-up for the prestigious $2 million

Canadian International Stakes The Canadian International Stakes is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses from three years of age and upwards on Turf. It is held annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The current purse is . History The Cana ...

in which he ran third. Sky Conqueror made his 2007 debut in April at Keeneland Race Course, finishing fifth in the Grade II

Maker's Mark Mile Stakes The Maker's Mark Mile Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses age four years old and older over a distance of one mile on the turf held annually in early April at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky during the spring ...

. In May, he defeated Better Talk Now and the favored Einstein in winning the Grade I

Turf Classic Stakes The Turf Classic Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race held annually in early May on the day of the Kentucky Derby, meeting on the turf at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race distance is one and one-eighth miles and is ...

at Churchill Downs. Back at Woodbine, in July he won his second consecutive Northern Dancer Breeder's Cup Turf. In August he finished third in the Nijinsky Stakes.

References

{{reflist
Video at YouTube of Sky Conqueror winning the 2007 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf
2002 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Canada Racehorses trained in Canada Sovereign Award winners Thoroughbred family 1-l