Norcliffe
Norcliffe (1973–1984) was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by U.S. Hall of Fame Champion Buckpasser out of the mare Drama School by Northern Dancer.
| Norcliffe | |
|---|---|
 Norcliffe, oil on canvas painted by Bob Demuyser (1920-2003) | |
| Sire | Buckpasser |
| Grandsire | Tom Fool |
| Dam | Drama School |
| Damsire | Northern Dancer |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1973 |
| Country | Canada |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | E. P. Taylor |
| Owner | Norcliffe Stable |
| Trainer | Roger Attfield |
| Record | 33: 14-8-3 |
| Earnings | $434,066 |
| Major wins | |
| Coronation Futurity Stakes (1975) Plate Trial Stakes (1976) Queen's Plate (1976) Prince of Wales Stakes (1976) Carling O'Keefe Invitational Handicap (1976, 1977) Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Handicap (1976) Canadian Maturity Stakes (1977) | |
| Awards | |
| Canadian Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1976) Canadian Horse of the Year (1976) Canadian Champion Older Male Horse (1977) | |
| Honours | |
| Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2005) | |
| Last updated on September 17, 2006 | |
Owned by Charles Baker's Norcliffe Stable, he was trained by Roger Attfield. Ridden by jockey Jeffrey Fell, Norcliffe won two of the first three legs of the 1976 Canadian Triple Crown races on dirt at Woodbine Racetrack, capturing the Queen's Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes. However, in the final leg, run on the grass at Fort Erie Race Track, Norcliffe finished fifth. Norcliffe earned 1976 Horse of the Year honours in Canada. In 1977 he earned a Sovereign Award as top older horse and was elected to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2005.
As a sire
Retired to stud at the end of the 1977 racing season, Norcliffe was North America's leading juvenile sire by number of wins and second in earnings in 1981.[1] He sired Groovy who was voted the 1987 Eclipse Award for American Champion Sprint Horse and who was a Texas State Champion twice. Norcliffe is also the grandsire of Lil E. Tee, the 1992 Kentucky Derby winner.