The mid-to-late 20th century in Thoroughbred racing is commonly described as the “golden years” of the sport, referring to the strength, stamina, and sheer brilliance of a number of that time period’s champions and stakes winners. If these were in fact the golden years of the Sport of Kings, then Thoroughbred breeding in Ontario, Canada, during this time can be described as a gold mine.
The lineage of a great number of the world’s top racehorses today can be traced back to roots in Ontario. The most recognizable poster children of the Ontario-bred sire club are the three generational stallions Nearctic, Northern Dancer, and Nijinsky II. The highly influential Deputy Minister and Storm Bird were also foaled in Ontario, as were three of last decade’s prominent North American sires—Smart Strike, Awesome Again, and Langfuhr.
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