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Noble Dancer - Thoroughbred

Updated: Jul 24


HIGHLIGHTS

  • Foaled January 1, 1972 - Died June 27, 1994 (22yo)

  • The Incident: October 17, 1979 (at 7yo) - US

  • The Incident: Noble Dancer suffered an injury on a muddy track. He tore a ligament, displaced his sesamoid bone, and the sesamoid bone was pushed into the canal of his left leg.

  • The Leading Surgeon: Dr. William O. Reed and  Dr. Larry Bramlage

  • The Outcome: A Success - Noble Dancer retired after recovering. He died on June 27, 1994, having survived for 15 years after surgery.


ABOUT THE HORSE

Noble Dancer is a top-class thoroughbred of the racing world. He was bred in England, then was sold to Norway after his juvenile season. The colt won back-to-back running of Oslo Cup, earned Horse of the Year honours – Norwegian Horse of the Year 1975.


In 1976, he was sent to compete in the United States where he was a dominant turf runner whose multiple top-level wins included the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap and the San Luis Rey Stakes. He was famous from coast to coast in the US.


Noble Dancer’s first stakes win came as he took the 11-furlong G2 Tidal Handicap in course record time at Belmont Park in June 1977. But after he went down with a serious virus and became very ill. The colt lost 200lbs in a week and was paralyzed for more than a month.

Gladly herecovered, returned to the track with a win in January 1978 before taking the G2 Bougainvillea Handicap at Hialeah Park and the G2 Hialeah Turf Cup the following month. He was twice voted Horse of The Year, completed a career with 22 wins from 43 runs prior to his injury.


The colt was a calm and collected horse, and very kind. He never turned a hair, and he loved children.


THE INCIDENT – 17 October 1979 (at 7yo)

During a routine training gallop, the horse suffered a serious injury over the dirt track at Belmont Park. His ligaments ruptured, his left ankle was in a bad state and at first it was feared he would have to be put down. His sesamoids were displaced, and forced up into the cannon bone. With no support to the fetlock joint, his ankle joint completely collapsed to the ground.


Insurance companies initially recommended that Noble Dancer be euthanized due to the sheer pain and severity of the break. The owner insisted that they should try everything to save his life – ‘Money cannot replace him, I would just like him to live’.


THE SAVING EFFORT – led by Dr. William O. Reed and  Dr. Larry Bramlage 

Dr. Reed, assisted by Dr. Bramlage from Ohio University,  performed emergency, lifesaving surgery to stabilise the leg saving the champion’s life. They fixed the cannon bone to the pastern by inserting a stainless steel compression plate into his leg. Screw holes were drilled into the bone. The operation last six hours. Dr. Reed said that he had never come across bones as hard as Noble Dancer’s.


Less than an hour after the operation, Noble Dancer limped across the box to get a pick of hay. He stayed calm patient in the ordeal, and recovered.


THE OUTCOME

Noble Dancer retired, got 15 offsprings from 1987 to 1995. His life ended on 27 June 1994, 15 years after he suffered from a fracture. The cause of death was a fatal fracture he suffered while actively attempting to cover a mare in the breeding shed.


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