Dancing Brave

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Dancing Brave
Sire	Lyphard
Grandsire	Northern Dancer
Dam	Navajo Princess
Damsire	Drone
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1983
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Glen Oak Farm
Owner	Khalid Abdullah
Trainer	Guy Harwood
Record	10: 8-1-0
Earnings	$1,776,723
Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours
Major Racing Wins
Craven Stakes (1986) 2,000 Guineas (1986) Eclipse Stakes (1986) King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1986) Select Stakes (1986) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1986)
Racing Awards
Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt in France (1986) European Horse of the Year (1986) Timeform rating: 140
Infobox last updated on: January 26, 2007.

Dancing Brave (1983-1999) was a thoroughbred racehorse, foaled in 1983, a bay colt sired by Lyphard out of Navajo Princess. He was purchased as a yearling by Khalid Abdullah for US$200,000 in Kentucky.

Trained in England by Guy Harwood, after winning twice as a two-year-old, Dancing Brave opened his three-year-old campaign in 1986 with a victory in the Craven Stakes - a 'Guineas Trial' at Newmarket, and followed it up by winning the 2,000 Guineas itself, beating Green Desert by three lengths.

Next on the agenda was the Epsom Derby, although there were concerns about whether he would see out the further distance of 1 mile 4 furlongs (2414 m). Close to last place entering the home straight, Dancing Brave made up a lot of ground, but Shahrastani beat him by half a length.

His jockey, Greville Starkey, was criticised for his tactics, but kept the ride for Dancing Brave's next race, a win in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park.^{[citation needed]} However, when Starkey was unable to ride the horse in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes he was replaced by Pat Eddery who became the preferred choice by the time of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Both of these races were also won.

The 1986 'Arc' was one of Dancing Brave's best performances, with a devastating late run winning by a length and a half in record time against a high class field, including his Derby conqueror Shahrastani who finished in fourth place.

Dancing Brave's racing career ended on a disappointing note in the United States, finishing fourth behind Manila in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park.

After being retired to stud at Dalham Hall Stud, Newmarket, he sired numerous winners, having a particularly good crop of three-year-olds in 1993, including Commander in Chief, who won the Epsom Derby, and White Muzzle, second in both the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. After five seasons standing at stud in Britain, Dancing Brave was sold to Japanese breeders and brought to the Shizunai Stallion Station at Hokkaidō. He died on August 2, 1999 of a heart attack.

Pedigree of Dancing Brave

Sire Lyphard	Northern Dancer	Nearctic	Nearco
			Lady Angela
		Natalma	Native Dancer
			Almahmoud
	Goofed	Court Martial	Fair Trial
			Instantaneous
		Barra	Formor
			La Favorite
Dam Navajo Princess	Drone	Sir Gaylord	Turn-To
			Somethingroyal
		Cap and Bells	Tom Fool
			Ghanzi
	Olmec	Pago Pago	Matrice
			Pompilia
		Chocolate Beau	Beau Max
			Otra