Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf

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Grade I race
Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf
Location	Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Ontario
Inaugurated	1953
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	Woodbine racetrack
Race information
Distance	1½ miles (12 furlongs)
Track	Grass, left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds & up
Weight	Handicap
Purse	$700,000

The Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. A Grade I event with a current purse of $700,000, it is held in the third week of July and run at a distance of 1½ miles on Woodbine's E. P. Taylor turf course.

Inaugurated as the Niagara Handicap, it was first raced on dirt at the Fort Erie Racetrack. In 1957 the race was changed to run on turf and was moved to the Woodbine Racetrack in 1985 where for 1986 only, it was run on dirt. The race became part of the Breeders' Cup program and the name was amended to the Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap. In 2006, the event was renamed to honor Canada's most famous racehorse, Northern Dancer.

Over the years, the race has been run at various distances:

• 11/16 miles : 1953-1956
• 1⅛ miles : 1957-1975
• 1¼ miles : 1990-1994
• 1½ miles : 1976-1989, 1995 to present

[edit] Records

Speed Record:

• 2:26.18 - Full of Wonder (2002) at the current distance of 1½ miles

Most wins:

• 2 - Marshall Ney II (1957, 1958), Strut the Stage (2003, 2004)

Most wins by an owner:

• 7 - Sam-Son Farm (1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004)
• 5 - Gardiner Farm (1967, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1976)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - Todd Kabel (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)
• 3 - Sandy Hawley (1970, 1996, 1997)

Most wins by a Trainer:

• 6 - Lou Cavalaris, Jr. (1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1976)
• 6 - Mark Frostad (1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004)

[edit] Winners since 1986

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2007	Sky Conqueror	5	Edgar Prado	Darwin D. Banach	William A. Sorokolit, Sr.	2:27.45
2006	Sky Conqueror	4	Todd Kabel	Darwin D. Banach	William A. Sorokolit, Sr.	2:34.36
2005	Revved Up	7	Brice Blanc	Christophe Clement	Live Oak Plantation	2:27.13
2004	Strut the Stage	6	Todd Kabel	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	2:25.87
2003	Strut the Stage	5	Todd Kabel	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	2:27.13
2002	Full of Wonder	4	Todd Kabel	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	2:26.18
2001	Honor Glide	7	Robbie Davis	Christophe Clement	Robert Schaedle III et al	2:26.52
2000	River Boat	7	Gary Boulanger	Frank Huarte	Frank Huarte	2:32.16
1999	Thornfield	5	Richard Dos Ramos	Phil England	Knob Hill Stable	2:29.32
1998	Chief Bearhart	5	Jose Santos	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	2:30.00
1997	Desert Waves	7	Sandy Hawley	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	2:30.40
1996	Desert Waves	6	Sandy Hawley	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	2:27.00
1995	Lindon Lime	5	Craig Perret	W. Elliott Walden	Frank Mansell	2:27.00
1994	River Majesty	5	Mike E. Smith	Christophe Clement	W. Gretzky / S. Port	2:03.20
1993	Shiny Key	5	Mark Larsen	Alton H. Quanbeck	D. Morgan Firestone	2:01.60
1992	Beau Fasa	6	Stanley Bethley	Gordon Colbourne	Box Arrow Farm	2:02.20
1991	Tot of Rum	5	Daniel David	Jim Day	Sam-Son Farm	2:04.80
1990	Hodges Bay	5	Jean Cruguet	Willard C. Freeman	Plandome Stable	2:05.20
1989	Turfah	6	Dave Penna	Thomas Skiffington, Jr.	Shadwell Stable	2:28.00
1988	Master Treaty	4	Dave Penna	Trevor Swan	Anderson/Taylor Stables	2:34.40
1987	Southjet	4	Jean-Luc Samyn	Stephen L. DiMauro	Dogwood Stable	2:32.80
1986	Golden Choice	3	David Clark	Michael A. Tammaro	Sanderson / Belanger	2:32.40

[edit] Earlier winners

* 1967 Carteret finished first, disqualified and placed last