Northerly dueled over the final 800 metres. Nonetheless, Northerly was a decisive winner of the Horse of the Year Award. In August 2003 swelling was found in his off-foreleg. This revealed a torn tendon, and with it, Northerly's career seemed over. Attempting to buck the odds, Northerly returned to the track in August 2004. Months of speculation ended when he galloped and then trialled successfully. A crowd of 30,000 descended on Belmont racecourse in Perth to see his return. Carrying 64.5 kilograms, Northerly was fourth most of the way and got to the lead in sight of the winning post, only
Northerly Island tore up the runways at Meigs Field in the middle of the night, in 2003, purportedly in the name of homeland security. Plans followed to convert the area into green space and expand upon the neighboring Museum Campus. In 2005, an outdoor concert venue opened on the northern part of Northerly Island. Originally named Charter One Pavilion, it was expanded in 2013 and renamed to FirstMerit Bank Pavilion, and as of January 2017 it is named Huntington Bank Pavilion. In December 2010, the Chicago Parks District unveiled its framework plan for Northerly Island, to be completed over the next 20–30