Natalma

Natalma (March 26, 1957 – January 29, 1985) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the dam (mother) of the most important sire, and sire of sires, of the late 20th Century, Northern Dancer. She also established a highly influential female family, which has produced other leading sires Machiavellian and Danehill, plus numerous other stakes winners. Natalma was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.

Background

Bred in

Natalma was trained by Horatio Luro, who would later train Northern Dancer as well. At age two, she won two of her five starts. She also crossed the finish line first in the 1959 Spinaway Stakes but swerved when jockey Bobby Ussery hit her with the whip and was disqualified to third place for interference. The experience so soured Natalma on racing that it was several months before Luro was able to return her to the racetrack.^[3]

Natalma made her three-year-old debut on April 9, 1960 at Keeneland where she briefly led but then faded to tenth. Two weeks later, she won in what would prove her final race.^[4] While in training for the Kentucky Oaks, she was found to have bone chips in the right knee. She was given some time off to recover, then went back into training for the Coaching Club American Oaks. However, the bone chips recurred, which led to her retirement.^[3]

Breeding record

Although late in the breeding season, she was sent to Taylor's

Natalma was bred to Nearctic several additional times, producing Arctic Dancer (dam of La Prevoyante), Northern Ace, Northern Native, Transatlantic and two unnamed fillies who died before age 2. Additionally, she produced stakes winners Native Victor, Regal Dancer and Born A Lady with other stallions.^[5][2]

Natalma's daughters have further extended her influence on Thoroughbred bloodlines worldwide. Raise the Standard, by Hoist the Flag, founded a strong branch of the family in France, from which descended important sire Machiavellian and classic winners Bluemamba and Senga, among many other stakes winners. Another daughter, Spring Adieu by Buckpasser, was the second dam of nine stakes winners, including leading sire Danehill. Danehill was inbred to Natalma since he also descended from her through Northern Dancer.^[2][6] Other horses inbred to Natalma include the undefeated champion Frankel, Australian champion and World recordholder of the most Group 1 wins (25) Winx and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.^[4][7][8]

Natalma was humanely euthanized on January 29, 1985 at the Windfields Farm satellite operation in Maryland (now the Northview Stallion Station) after unsuccessful treatment for colic. She was buried in the farm's equine cemetery.

Honors

In 2007, Natalma's contribution to the sport of

Natalma is inbred 5 × 5 to Fair Play, meaning Fair Play appears twice in the fifth generation of her pedigree.^[2][10]

References