Northern Dancer 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 sires of the 20th century. He is considered a Canadian icon and was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1965. Induction into the Racing Hall of Fame in both Canada and the United States followed in 1976. As a competitor, The Blood-Horse ranked him as one of the top 100 U.S. Thoroughbred racehorses of the 20th century. As a sire of sires, his influence on the breed is still felt worldwide.
Native Dancer, nicknamed the Gray Ghost, was one of the most celebrated and accomplished Thoroughbred racehorses in American history and was the first horse made famous through the medium of television. He was a champion in each of his three years of racing, and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1963. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, he was ranked seventh.
Reel was a thoroughbred race horse, and one of the greatest American Thoroughbred broodmares in history.
St. Simon was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and one of the most successful sires in the history of the Thoroughbred. In May 1886 The Sporting Times' carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th century. St. Simon was ranked fourth, having been placed in the top ten by 53 of the contributors.
Buckpasser was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1966 Horse of the Year. His other achievements include 1965 Champion Two-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Three-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Handicap Horse, and 1967 Champion Handicap Horse. He was also the leading broodmare sire in 1983, 1984, and 1989.
Hyperion was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, a dual classic winner, an outstanding sire, and considered to be one of the most important Thoroughbreds of the 20th century.
La Troienne (1926–1954) was one of the most famous and influential Thoroughbred broodmares in twentieth century America. She produced 10 winners including two Hall of Fame inductees while at stud, while her daughters in turn produced many notable offspring. In 2000, pedigree expert Janeen Oliver designated her as the taproot of family 1-x, a designation that was implemented by the Pedigree Online Thoroughbred Database in 2003. Recent matrilineal descendants include 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (2020), Kentucky Derby winners Smarty Jones (2004) and Super Saver (2010), Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality (2021), and Sussex Stakes winner Alcohol Free (2021).
Discovery (1931–1958) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from 1933 to 1936 he ran sixty-three times and won twenty-seven races. One of the leading American three-year-olds of his generation in 1934, he became a dominant performer in the next two seasons. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame said that he was: "...considered one of the greatest horses of the 20th century."
Cannonade was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the 1974 Kentucky Derby.
Raise a Native was an undefeated Thoroughbred racehorse that was named 1963 champion two-year-old colt in the Turf and Sport Digest poll and was the highest rated juvenile in the Experimental Free Handicap. He sired 74 stakes winners, including Majestic Prince and Alydar. In its 1988 obituary for the horse, The New York Times called him "the most influential sire of American Thoroughbred stallions over the last 20 years".
Sweep was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.
Hail to Reason was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire. In a racing career cut short by injury, he was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1960 after winning seven stakes races including the Hopeful Stakes. He later became a leading sire whose offspring included 1972 Epsom Derby winner Roberto and leading sire Halo, who in turn sired 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Sunday Silence.
Peace Chance was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1934 Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series.
Natalma was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the dam (mother) of the most important sire, and sire of sires, of the late 20th Century, Northern Dancer. She also established a highly influential female family, which has produced other leading sires Machiavellian and Danehill, plus numerous other stakes winners. Natalma was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.
Mahmoud (1933–1962) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from April 1935 to September 1936 he ran eleven times and won four races. In 1935 he won two of Britain's most important two-year-old races and was officially rated the second-best colt of his generation. In 1936 he won only once from five starts, but this win came in the Derby in which he set a race record which stood for fifty-nine years, and became the third of only four greys to win the race. After being retired from racing he was sold and exported to the United States, where he became a highly successful breeding stallion and was America's Champion sire in 1946.
Herbager was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire in both France and the United States.
Cosmic Bomb was an American Thoroughbred racehorse whose wins included races that today would be graded events. He is also remembered as the sire of broodmare Cosmah, the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year who produced Halo, who in turn sired 1983 Kentucky Derby winner Sunny's Halo and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Sunday Silence. Cosmah also produced Queen Sucree, the dam of Kentucky Derby winner Cannonade.
Cobweb (1821–1848) was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and who won two British Classic Races as a three-year-old and went on to become a highly successful broodmare. Cobweb's racing career consisted of three competitive races in the early part of 1824. After winning on her debut she claimed a second prize when her opponents were withdrawn by their owners. She then won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and the Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse before being retired to stud.
Mother Goose was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was named the American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1924. From the 128 runnings of the Belmont Futurity Stakes since its inception in 1888 through 2019, Mother Goose is one of only thirteen fillies to have ever won the event. The Mother Goose Stakes at New York's Belmont Park is named in her honor.
