Green Dancer (14 April 1972 – 5 December 2000) 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 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 ...

. A son of the British Tiple Crown winner Nijinsky, he won the French 2000 Guineas in 1975. Later he became a very successful sire.

Background

A son of the English Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky, Green Dancer was bred in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

by Germaine Wertheimer of Paris, who owned his dam Green Valley.

Racing career

Green Dancer was raced in France by Wertheimer's son,

Jacques Jacques or Jacq are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over one hundred identified noble families related t ...

, and trained by

Alec Head Alec Head (31 July 1924 – 22 June 2022) was a French horse trainer and breeder. Head was the owner of Haras du Quesnay, located near Deauville. A descendant of the trainers who founded the English Racing Colony in Chantilly, Oise, Head's gran ...

. As well as winning the French 2000 Guineas he came first in two other

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 ...

races in France and in England. In the 1975

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

Green Dancer started 6/4 favourite but finished only sixth behind Grundy. His poor performance reportedly left Alec Head "dumbfounded".

Stud record

Retired to

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

in France, in 1980 Green Dancer was sent to stand at Gainesway Farm near

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

. He became the fourth-leading sire in France in 1983 and 1984 and was that country's champion sire in 1991. Green Dancer's daughters produced seven champions that earned horse of the year honours in various countries on eight occasions. Due to declining health, Green Dancer was pensioned near the end of November 2000 and had to be euthanised a short time later.'Green Dancer dead at 28'
''Thoroughbred Times'', 8 December 2000 He is buried in the Gainesway Farm cemetery next to

Lyphard Lyphard (10 May 1969 – 10 June 2005) was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and an important Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. Background American bred in Pennsylvania, Lyphard was a son of Northern Dancer ...

, another champion sire owned by the Wertheimer family. Green Dancer sired: * Greinton (born 1981) – won on grass in France and set two track records on dirt at

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred horse racing, race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to The Forum (Inglewood, California), the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, t ...

in the United States. Won

Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of miles on the dirt held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California in May. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000 ...

Californian Stakes The Californian Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California (relocated from the now closed Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California). The Grade II event is open to ho ...

, and

Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up and was once considered the most important race for old ...

. *

Suave Dancer Suave Dancer (1988–1998) is a French Thoroughbred race horse. Background Bred by Lillie F. Webb's Xalapa Farm near Paris, Kentucky, Suave Dancer was sired by Green Dancer out of the mare Suavite, both American thoroughbreds. A male line des ...

(born 1988) – 1991 European Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt. Won Prix du Jockey Club,

Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2 ...

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 ...

Gandria Gandria is both a Quarter (country subdivision), quarter of the city of Lugano in the Switzerland, Swiss Ticino, canton of Ticino, and a village on the northern shore of Lake Lugano, which forms the core of that quarter. Until 2004, the quarter of ...

(born 1996) – won Prince of Wales Stakes, Canadian Champion Three-Year-Old Filly * Rochester (born 1996) – millionaire, multiple stakes winner in USA * Eishin Preston (born 1997) – Japanese Two-Year-Old Champion, won Hong Kong Mile and the

Queen Elizabeth II Cup The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race at Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Established in 1975 by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, it is run annually in April over a distance of 2,000 metres (te ...

twice Green Dancer was the damsire of: *

Sandpit A sandpit (most Commonwealth countries) or sandbox (US and Canada) is a low, wide container or shallow depression filled with soft (beach) sand in which children can play. Sharp sand (as used in the building industry) is not suitable for su ...

(born 1989) – Brazilian 1993 Champion 3-year-old. Won four

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

races in Brazil and four Grade I's in the United States * Halling (born 1991) – 1996 European Champion Older Horse. Won

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...

(twice),

International Stakes The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards ...

(twice),

Prix d'Ispahan The Prix d'Ispahan is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,850 metres (about 1 mile and 1¼ furlongs), ...

* Peaks and Valleys (born 1992) – 1995 Canadian Horse of the Year. Won Molson Export Million Stakes, Meadowlands Cup,

Derby Trial Stakes The Pat Day Mile Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on dirt over a distance of one mile scheduled on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The current purse is $600,000. Histor ...

* Jeune – (born 1995) Australian Horse of the Year. Won five Group One races * Quest for Fame (born 1997) – Won

, Hollywood Turf Handicap * Lonesome Glory (born 1988) – American Hall of Fame steeplechase champion who was American Steeplechase Horse of the Year 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999. *

Kalanisi Kalanisi (27 March 1996 – 25 May 2023) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won European Champion and American Champion honours in 2000. Background Bred and raced by H.H. Aga Khan IV, Kalanisi was out of the mare Kalamba, a daughter of Green ...

(born 1996) – 2000 American Champion Male Turf Horse. Won

Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...

Queen Anne Stakes The Queen Anne Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and is scheduled to take p ...

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...

* Black Minnaloushe (born 1998) – Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Ireland. Won

Irish 2000 Guineas The Irish 2,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and i ...

, St. James's Palace Stakes.

References

{{reflist 1972 racehorse births 2000 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in France Champion Thoroughbred Sires of France Thoroughbred family 16-c