Northernette

Northernette (foaled 1974 in Ontario) is a Canadian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame says that she "was among the best Canadian-bred race fillies ever raised in this country."

Background

A full sister to Storm Bird, she was bred by E. P. Taylor, owner of her dam, South Ocean, and her preeminent sire, Northern Dancer. Northernette was purchased at auction by the partnership of Syl Asadoorian and Sam Cosentino who raced her from a base at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. They entrusted her conditioning to Jerry Meyer.

Racing career

In her two-year-old racing season, Northernette was voted the 1976 Sovereign Award for Champion 2-Year-Old Filly. At age three in 1977, her victories included an eleven-length win over the best domestic-bred fillies in the Canadian Oaks. She went up against her male counterparts in Canada's most important race, the Queen's Plate, and finished second to Sound Reason.

In August 1977, Northernette's owners sold a controlling interest in her to American Peter M. Brant. Her conditioning was then taken over by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Frank Whiteley whose son David, as well as Shug McGaughey, were both working as his apprentices. Under McGaughey, Northernette won the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas then was sent north to Aqueduct Racetrack where David Whiteley saddled her to a win in the Top Flight Handicap. In the last race of her career, Northernette finished second to American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly Tempest Queen in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.

Northernette's 1977 performances earned her Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly honors.

Stud record

Retired to broodmare duty, Northernette's offspring met with only limited success on the racetrack. She was first bred to U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Damascus, producing her first foal in 1980. Her other matings were to notable sires such as Mr. Prospector, Alydar, Seattle Slew, Blushing Groom, Alleged, Woodman, and her last that proudced a filly in 1996 was to A.P. Indy.

Northernette was inducted in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1987.

Pedigree

References

• Northernette at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame