Broadway Dancer (foaled 16 February 1972) was an American-bred, French-trained

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 and

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other 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 than four ...

. Between June 1974 and August 1975 she raced six times, winning twice. As a two-year-old she won on her debut before being narrowly beaten in the

Prix Robert Papin The Prix Robert Papin is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it ...

before recording an emphatic six-

length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with Dimension (physical quantity), dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a Base unit (measurement), base unit for length is chosen, ...

success in the

Prix Morny The Prix Morny is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is schedule ...

. Although she did not race again in 1974 she was the highest-rated juvenile filly of the season in both the official French Handicap and the independent

Timeform Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by th ...

ratings. After running third when favourite for the

Poule d'Essai des Pouliches The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) ...

on her three-year-old debut she ran poorly in two subsequent races and was retired from racing. She was not a success a broodmare.

Background

Broadway Dancer was a small bay mare with a white

star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...

and a white

sock A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...

on her left hind leg bred in Kentucky by the Nickols Brothers. She was one of many important winners sired by the Canadian-bred

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred that, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. After being retired from racing, he became one of the most successful Stallion, sires of the 2 ...

, who won the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

in 1964 before becoming one of the most successful breeding stallions in Thoroughbred history. Broadway Dancer's dam Broadway Melody, was a high-class racemare who finished second in the

Queen Mary Stakes The Queen Mary Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled to take place ...

in 1966 and the

Jersey Stakes The Jersey Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place ea ...

in the following year. Broadway Melody was a half-sister to the dam of the

King's Stand Stakes The King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King's Stand Stakes) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 fu ...

winner African Song and a distant relative of the

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...

winner

Marienbard Marienbard (foaled 1997) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his win in the 2002 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Background Marienbard is a bay horse bred in Ireland by Saif Ali. He was sired by the Caerleon, ...

. The filly was acquired by

Daniel Wildenstein Daniel Leopold Wildenstein (11 September 1917 – 23 October 2001) was a French art dealer, historian and owner-breeder of thoroughbred and standardbred race horses. He was the third member of the family to preside over Wildenstein & Co., one of ...

and was sent to France to be trained by the Argentinian Angel Penna Sr.

Racing career

1974: two-year-old season

Broadway Dancer made a successful racecourse debut at Chantilly Racecourse in June when she was an impressive winner of

maiden race In horse racing, a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...

over 1100 metres. She was then moved up sharply in class and matched against

colts Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States * Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United State ...

in the

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

over the same distance at

Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France was a turf horse racing facility and track for Thoroughbred flat racing. Opened in 1878 by Joseph Oller, inventor of t ...

on 28 July. Ridden by

Yves Saint-Martin Yves Saint-Martin (born 8 September 1941 in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, France) is a retired champion jockey in French Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred horse racing. He is widely considered one of the greatest riders in French racing history. ...

she started at odds of 7/2 and finished second, beaten a neck by the colt Sky Commander. On 18 August, at

Deauville Racecourse Hippodrome Deauville-La Touques is a race track for thoroughbred horse racing located in Deauville in the Calvados département, in the Normandy ''région'' of France. Originally called Hippodrome de la Touques, it was named for the Touques River ...

, faced Sky Commander again in the Prix Morny. Partnered again by Saint-Martin she started the 4.7/1 second favourite behind the

Prix Yacowlef The Prix Yacowlef is a Conditions races, Listed Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. Since 2016, it is run each November at Chantilly Racecourse over a ...

winner Free Round, Broadway Dancer was restrained in the early stages before drawing alongside the leaders 200 metres from the finish, before accelerating away from her rival and winning by six lengths from Princesse Lee. Broadway Dancer did not race again in 1974.

1975: three-year-old season

On her first appearance as a three-year-old, Broadway Dancer started the 4/5 favourite for the

over 1600 metres at

Longchamp Racecourse The Longchamp Racecourse (, ) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for ...

on 4 May. Racing for the first time in eight months, she finished third of the ten runners behind

Ivanjica Ivanjica ( sr-Cyrl, Ивањица, ) is a town and municipality located in the Moravica District of southwestern Serbia. As of 2022 census, the municipality has a population of 27,767 inhabitants. With an area of 1090 km2, it is the eighth ...

and Nobiliary. Three weeks later, the filly was moved up in distance for the

Prix Saint-Alary The Prix Saint-Alary is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp in Paris over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1 miles), and take ...

over 2000 metres at the same course. She again started favourite but finished eighth of the twelve runners behind Nobiliary. Broadway Dancer was brought back in distance for the

Prix Maurice de Gheest The Prix Maurice de Gheest is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,300 metres (about 6½ furlongs), and it is s ...

over 1300 metres at Deauville on 3 August. Ridden by the Italian

Gianfranco Dettori Gianfranco Dettori (born 25 April 1941) is a retired Italian jockey. Dettori was born in Serramanna, in what is now the Province of South Sardinia, son of a miner. He was thirteen times Italian champion jockey. He also had success in British Cla ...

she finished unplaced behind Sky Commander.

Assessment

There was no International Classification of European two-year-olds in 1974: the official handicappers of Britain, Ireland and France compiled separate rankings for horses which competed in those countries. In the official French Handicap, Broadway Dancer was rated the best two-year-old filly of 1974, two pounds behind the leading colt Mariacci and five pounds ahead of the next-best filly Delmora. The independent Timeform organisation awarded Broadway Dancer a rating of 131, the highest given to any juvenile filly in 1974, but named Cry of Truth (rated 129) as their best two-year-old filly. In their annual ''Racehorses of 1974'', Timeform stated that Broadway Dancer was "likely to prove exceptional". In the official French Handicap for 1975, Broadway Dancer was rated fifteen pounds behind the leading three-year-old filly Ivanjica.

Breeding record

Broadway Dancer became a broodmare for Wildenstein's breeding operations. She produced several foals between 1977 and 1990 but only one minor winner. *Behave (filly, foaled 1977, sired by

Brigadier Gerard Brigadier Gerard is the hero of a series of 17 historical short stories, a play, and a major character in a novel by the British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. Brigadier Etienne Gerard is a Hussar officer in the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars ...

) failed to win in two races *Bombshell (bay filly, 1979, by Ashmore), failed to win in five races *Bal Royal (bay colt, 1980 by

Arctic Tern The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south ...

), won two races *Bonnys Niece (filly, 1982, by

Great Nephew Great Nephew (1963 – 31 May 1986) was a British thoroughbred who became a champion miler in France. He was also a very successful sire, producing two Derby winners.

) *Belle Bleue (filly, 1988, by Blazing Saddles), failed to win in seven races

Pedigree

References

{{reflist 1972 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in France Thoroughbred family 12-g