Sovereign Dancer
Encyclopedia
Sovereign Dancer was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse
best known as a sire
of two American Classic Race winners. Regally bred by Ogden Mills Phipps
, he was a son of the most important sire of the 20th Century, Northern Dancer
and from the mare Bold Princess, a daughter of the eight-time Leading sire in North America
, Bold Ruler
.
At age four Sovereign Dancer was sold to Alec Head's
Haras du Quesnay
near Deauville
in the Lower Normandy region of France where he complied a record of two wins, three seconds, and a third in ten starts on grass for trainer Criquette Head-Maarek
. Sovereign Dancer won his debut in France in April 1979 at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse
and won in his fourth start at the Evry Racecourse. His best result in a Conditions race was a second in the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy
.
Retired from racing after the 1979 season, Sovereign Dancer returned to stand at stud
in the United States. A successful sire, some of his important sons include:
Damsire:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
best known as a sire
Sire
Sire may refer to:* Father, the counterpart of a dam, particularly in animal breeding. See also stallion* James W. Sire, author on worldviews* Sire Records, a record label* Sire Advertising, an advertising agency...
of two American Classic Race winners. Regally bred by Ogden Mills Phipps
Ogden Mills Phipps
Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps is a retired American financier and prominent Thoroughbred racehorse industry executive and a Thoroughbred owner/breeder...
, he was a son of the most important sire of the 20th Century, Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....
and from the mare Bold Princess, a daughter of the eight-time Leading sire in North America
Leading sire in North America
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
, Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled on April 6, 1954 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery...
.
At age four Sovereign Dancer was sold to Alec Head's
Alec Head
Alec Head was a prominent French horseman and breeder and the owner of Haras du Quesnay near Deauville. A descendant of the great trainers who founded the English Racing Colony in Chantilly, Oise, Head's grandfather was a jockey-turned-trainer, as was his father William Head who was a very...
Haras du Quesnay
Haras du Quesnay
Haras du Quesnay, known as "Le Quesnay", is a thoroughbred horse breeding farm in France about four miles outside the city of Deauville on 3 km², established in 1907 by wealthy American sportsman William Kissam Vanderbilt. He sold the property to another American horseman, A. Kingsley Macomber,...
near Deauville
Deauville
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and...
in the Lower Normandy region of France where he complied a record of two wins, three seconds, and a third in ten starts on grass for trainer Criquette Head-Maarek
Criquette Head-Maarek
Christiane "Criquette" Head is considered to be the leading female racehorse trainer in the world.Known as Criquette, she was born into the Thoroughbred horse racing business...
. Sovereign Dancer won his debut in France in April 1979 at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse
Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse
The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France is a turf horse racing facility and track for Thoroughbred flat racing...
and won in his fourth start at the Evry Racecourse. His best result in a Conditions race was a second in the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy
Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne
The Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Vichy over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
.
Retired from racing after the 1979 season, Sovereign Dancer returned to stand at stud
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
in the United States. A successful sire, some of his important sons include:
- Gate DancerGate DancerGate Dancer was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as a winner of an American Classic Race and for his part in a thrilling three-horse finish in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Classic....
(b. 1981), won 1984 Preakness StakesPreakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb... - ItsallgreektomeItsallgreektomeItsallgreektome was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Sired by Sovereign Dancer, who also sired Preakness Stakes winners Gate Dancer and Louis Quatorze, he was out of the mare Sans Supplement, a daughter of Grey Dawn, who was a multiple stakes winner in France.The winner of top stakes...
(b. 1987), the 1990 American Champion Male Turf Horse - Priolo (b. 1987), winner of three Group OneGroup OneGroup One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...
races in France - Louis QuatorzeLouis Quatorze (horse)Louis Quatorze is an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by Sovereign Dancer, who in turn was a son of the great 1964 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, Northern Dancer out of the mare, On To Royalty....
(b. 1993), equalled race record time in winning the 1996 Preakness Stakes - Double Orphan (b. 1994), 2000 Champion Older Male Horse in Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
- Moment of Glory (b. 1994), Champion Stayer in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Damsire:
- DisturbingthepeaceDisturbingthepeaceDisturbingthepeace is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse.Bred by Buddy Johnston, the owner of Old English Rancho in Sanger, California, Disturbingthepeace was purchased by David Milch and his wife Rita as in May 2001...
(b.1998), multiple stakes winner