Northern Dancer Stakes of sires in the second half of the 20th century. Northern Dancer Stakes The Northern Dancer Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid-June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Named in honor of the horse, Northern Dancer, the Grade III stakes for three-year-olds is run on dirt over a distance of 8.5 furlongs ( miles). The race currently offers a purse of $150,000. Canadian-bred and owned honoree Northern Dancer (1961–1990) won the 1964 Kentucky Derby in record time on the Churchill Downs track. He went on to win the Preakness Stakes and Queen's Plate. Retired from
Fort Larned (horse) Wilkes stated that the horse had made great improvement and it was suggested that he was well-suited by being allowed to "run free". At Churchill Downs in May he finished second in the Alysheba Stakes behind Successful Dan, with Mucho Macho Man in third. At the same course a month later he was moved into Grade I class and finished unplaced behind Ron the Greek in the Stephen Foster Handicap after being forced wide in the straight. In his next race, Fort Larned was ridden for the first time by Brian Hernandez, Jr.. At Prairie Meadows on June 30, he