Northern Dancer 1964 Kentucky Derby winner

A Visit to Northern Dancer’s Grave at Windfields Farm (also referred to as Trillium Horse Cemetery)

On my visit to the beautiful Windfields Farm in Oshawa — the legendary estate of Canadian business titan and horse racing visionary E.P. Taylor — I finally found Northern Dancer’s grave, nestled in a gated cemetery plot. After clearing away mounds of knee-deep snow, I stood before “Dancer,” a true icon of Canadian horse racing history.

Northern Dancer was the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby, capturing the crown in 1964. He followed that triumph with a victory at the Preakness Stakes, narrowly missing the elusive Triple Crown with a third-place finish at Belmont. That same year, after adding the Queen’s Plate to his resume, E.P. Taylor decided it was time for his champion to retire.

What a year…

• The 1964 Kentucky Derby.
• The 1964 Preakness Stakes.
• The 1964 Queen’s Plate

All ridden by the great jockey, Bill Hartack

Northern Dancer passed away on November 16, 1990, in Chesapeake City, Maryland, at the age of 29. He was laid to rest in a specially built oak coffin, wrapped in a blanket he had won during his illustrious racing career. Later that day, his remains were returned to Canada in a refrigerated van for burial at Windfields Farm — a fitting final journey home.

His story is nothing short of extraordinary. A small, stocky, bonny bay colt — built more like an old-style Quarter Horse than a sleek Thoroughbred — he was initially overlooked at his yearling sale, passed over for just $25,000. Yet he would go on to become one of the most influential Thoroughbreds in racing history, both on the track and as a sire. His legacy endures in bloodlines across the globe.

At his grave, the names of his parents, Nearctic and Natalma, are inscribed alongside his grandsire, Native Dancer — a lineage that helped shape a dynasty and left an indelible mark on the world of horse racing.

1961-1990

Visited Northern Dancer in winter and summer.

Entering the gates of Windfields Farm now part of University of Ontario and photos of my walk in search of Northern Dancers grave which was completely covered by snow.