As a racehorse, he won 14 of 18 races, including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Queen's Plate.  As a sire of 295 yearling horses, of which 130 became stake winners, he changed the face of modern thoroughbred breeding.  So great was his success in the breeding of winning racehorses that many of the world's thoroughbreds today carry his strength, vigour and grace in their pedigree.

Northern Dancer died on November 16, 1990, at Taylor's Windfields Farm in Maryland and was brought back to Canada to be buried.