The late, great Danzig followed Bold Ruler as the second Claiborne Farm stallion to lead the North American General Sire List at least three years in a row. The sire of 200 stakes winners including ten Champions topped the sire list each year from 2001 through 2003. He was also the Leading Freshman/Juvenile Sire of 1984 and claimed the Leading Juvenile Sire title again in 1986. The compact bay was trained by Woody Stephens for owner Henryk de Kwiatkowski. He won all three of his starts in a racing career cut short by injuries.
His offspring include Breeders’ Cup race winners Lure, Dance Smartly, Chief’s Crown, and War Chant; U.S. Classic race winners Pine Bluff and Danzig Connection; and Europe’s brilliant sprinting Horse of the Year, Dayjur.
The incredible success of Claiborne’s Danzig and Nijinsky II put the seal on Northern Dancer’s reputation as a sire of sires, sending prices for his male offspring skyrocketing into a new stratosphere. Likewise, Danzig’s sons made such an immediate mark that his colts commanded top prices, amassing an average of nearly $600,000 for 216 yearling colts in 24 crops. He remains the best sire of sires by Northern Dancer: More than 50 sons of Danzig have sired Grade 1/Group 1 winners, including Danehill, the first Thoroughbred to sire 300 or more stakes winners.
Pensioned in 2004. Died in 2006 at age 29.
Buried at Claiborne.