Northernette (foaled March 4, 1974 – after 1998) was a Canadian
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. Thoroughbreds are c ...
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, 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 basic pr ...
. A Canadian champion at both ages two and three, she was also a
Grade I
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
stakes winner in the United States.
Background
Northernette was a
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...
mare who was bred in Ontario by
E.P. Taylor
Edward Plunket Taylor, CMG (January 29, 1901 – May 14, 1989) was a Canadian business tycoon, investor and philanthropist. He was a famous breeder of Thoroughbred race horses, and a major force behind the evolution of the Canadian horse-racing ...
, called the "chief architect of the modern evolution of Canadian racing and breeding" by the
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
The H ...
. Taylor was the founder of the Canadian Jockey Club and helped run several other prominent racing institutions. He is best known as the owner and breeder of the great
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred who, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He then became one of the most successful sires of the 20th century. He is considered a Canad ...
, who was the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby and later became one of the most dominant sires in Thoroughbred history.
Taylor also bred the mare
South Ocean, who won the
Canadian Oaks
The Woodbine Oaks is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Inaugurated in 1956, it is the premier event for Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara s ...
in 1970 and later produced eight winners from twelve foals. When bred to Northern Dancer, South Ocean first produced Northernette, followed a few years later by champion and important sire
Storm Bird
Storm Bird (19 April 1978 – 3 December 2004) was a Canadian-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the outstanding European two-year-old of 1980, when he was unbeaten in five races, including the Anglesey Stakes, Nationa ...
. Several of South Ocean's daughters also became successful producers, and her name can be found in pedigrees around the world.
In retrospect, the
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
The H ...
says that Northernette "was among the best Canadian-bred race fillies ever raised in this country."
Northernette was purchased at auction by the partnership of Syl Asadoorian and Sam Cosentino who raced her from a base at
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 ...
in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. They entrusted her conditioning to
Jerry Meyer.
Racing career
In her two-year-old racing season, Northernette raced ten times, finishing first five times, second three times and third once. Second in her first start on May 9, 1976 at Woodbine, she won her following start on May 22. Over the summer, she recorded two wins in allowance company before finishing second in her first stakes race appearance in the
Princess Elizabeth. She then won another allowance race before recording her most important victory of the year in the
Mazarine Stakes
The Mazarine Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A Grade III race, it is open to two-year-old fillies. Contested over a distance of miles (8.5 furlongs) on Polytrack synthetic dirt, it currently ...
. She finished the year with a fourth-place finish in the
Demoiselle Stakes
The Demoiselle Stakes is a stakes race for thoroughbred horses open to two-year-old fillies who are willing to race the one and one-eighth miles on dirt. The Grade II event is run at Aqueduct Racetrack every November for a current purse of $250 ...
at
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...
in the United States. She was voted the 1976
Sovereign Award for Champion 2-Year-Old Filly The Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing honor. Created in 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada, it is part of the Sovereign Awards program and is awarded annually to the top 2-Year-Old Filly Thoroughbred hors ...
.
At age three in 1977, Northernette earned five wins and five second-placed finishes from twelve starts.
Her most important win was in the prestigious
Canadian Oaks
The Woodbine Oaks is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Inaugurated in 1956, it is the premier event for Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara s ...
, which she won by a then-record eleven lengths. In so doing, she became the first Canadian Oaks winner to be the daughter of an Oaks winner. Northernette then went up against her male counterparts in Canada's most important race, the
Queen's Plate
The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate between 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest Thoroughbred horse race, having been founded in 1860. It is also the oldest continuously run race in North America. It is run at a distance of ...
, and finished second to
Sound Reason by a half length. She also set a stakes record while winning the
Selene Stakes.
She was then shipped to
Saratoga where she finished second in the
Test Stakes
The Test Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies and run each summer at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is contested at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt and is an influential ...
, then fifth in the
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
.
After the Alabama in August 1977, Northernette's owners sold a controlling interest in her to American
Peter M. Brant
Peter Mark Brant Sr. (born March 1, 1947) is an American industrialist, as well as a magazine publisher, film producer, and art collector. He is married to model Stephanie Seymour.
Early life and education
Brant was raised in Jamaica Estates, ...
.
Her conditioning was then taken over by future
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer,
Frank Whiteley, whose son
David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, as well as
Shug McGaughey, were both working as his assistants. In her first start for her new connections, Northernette won an allowance race at Woodbine before shipping south to Laurel Park in Maryland, where she won the Grade III Chrysanthemum Handicap.
She finished the year with a runner-up finish in the Grade II
Firenze Handicap
The Personal Ensign Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to fillies and Mares age three and older, it is contested at a dist ...
, losing by a nose. Northernette's 1977 performances earned her
Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly honors.
In 1978, Northernette recorded three wins and two second-place finishes from eleven starts. The highlights were her two Grade I wins, in both cases while under the care of one of Frank Whitely's assistant trainers. Under McGaughey, Northernette won the
Apple Blossom Handicap
The Apple Blossom Handicap is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, run under handicap conditions over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in April ...
at
Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Plantation may refer to:
*Oaklawn (Huntsville, Alabama), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)
*Oaklawn Plantation (Leon County, Florida)
*Oaklawn Plantation (Natchez, Louisiana)
The Oaklawn Plantation is a historic pl ...
in
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is a resort city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Garland County. The city is located in the Ouachita Mountains among the U.S. Interior Highlands, and is set among several natural hot springs for which the city is n ...
then was sent north to
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...
where David Whiteley saddled her to a win in the
Top Flight Handicap
The Top Flight Invitational Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Listed race, it is open to fillies and mares, age three and older. The event is contested over a distance of one a ...
. Later in the season, Northernette finished second to
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both ...
Tempest Queen in the
Spinster Stakes
The Spinster Stakes (also known as the "Juddmonte Spinster" with Juddmonte Farms sponsorship) is an American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three or up run annually in early October at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky ...
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 its ...
in
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
.
Stud record
Retired to
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 ...
duty, Northernette became a successful producer, though not at the level of her dam South Ocean. Northernette's best offspring were American Grade I winner Scoot and Irish Group II winner Gold Crest, both by
Mr. Prospector. Several of her daughters also became successful producers in North America, Europe and Japan. South Ocean and Northernette were both named reines-de-course, a term for influential broodmares, by pedigree expert Ellen Parker.
Northernette was inducted in the
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
The H ...
in 1987.
Pedigree
References
{{reflist
1974 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Ontario
Racehorses trained in Canada
Racehorses trained in the United States
Sovereign Award winners
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees
Thoroughbred family 4-j