Hill 'n' Dale Farms
Encyclopedia
Hill 'n' Dale Farms is a thoroughbred
race horse breeding farm in Canada
and the United States
. It was founded in 1960 in Aurora, Ontario
in 1960 by John Sikura, Jr., who died mysteriously in an unsolved 1994 car fire. The Canadian operation is now run by his son, R. Glenn Sikura.
is owned by John G. Sikura, another son of the Canadian founder who relocated here from his native Ontario. The property now covers approximately 950 acres (3.8 km²) of land on the site of the former North Ridge Farm. Hill 'n' Dale has been the home of some famous bloodstook.
As of 2007, the current stallion roster includes Theatrical
, Stormy Atlantic, Roman Ruler, Muktakddim, Grand Reward, Buddha, Vindication
, and El Corridor.
Also in February 2007, 2002 United States Horse of the Year
Azeri
foaled a chestnut
colt
by 1992 United States Horse of the Year
A. P. Indy at the farm.
Along with Azeri, resides other distinguished racing broodmares. They have included 1999 United States Champion 3-Yr-Old Filly
Silverbulletday
, 1991 Canadian Triple Crown
champion Dance Smartly
, and Better Than Honour
, dam of Belmont Stakes
winners, Jazil
and Rags to Riches
.
Dance Smartly had recently been moved to Sam-Son Farm
in Ontario
, Canada, where she was humanely euthanized
due to a paddock incident in August 2007.
winner, Seattle Slew
. He is buried in the courtyard at the farm.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race horse breeding farm in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1960 in Aurora, Ontario
Aurora, Ontario
Aurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
in 1960 by John Sikura, Jr., who died mysteriously in an unsolved 1994 car fire. The Canadian operation is now run by his son, R. Glenn Sikura.
History
Incorporated in the U.S. in 1987, the Hill 'n' Dale Farms in Lexington, KentuckyLexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
is owned by John G. Sikura, another son of the Canadian founder who relocated here from his native Ontario. The property now covers approximately 950 acres (3.8 km²) of land on the site of the former North Ridge Farm. Hill 'n' Dale has been the home of some famous bloodstook.
As of 2007, the current stallion roster includes Theatrical
Theatrical (horse)
Theatrical is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1987 Breeders' Cup Turf and is a successful sire.A son of Nureyev, who in turn was sired by Northern Dancer, out of the mare Tree Of Knowledge who won the 1974 Hollywood Gold Cup, Theatrical was bred by Bertram & Diana Firestone at...
, Stormy Atlantic, Roman Ruler, Muktakddim, Grand Reward, Buddha, Vindication
Vindication (horse)
Vindication was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Bred by Payson Stud Inc., he was sired by 1977 U.S. Triple Crown Champion Seattle Slew...
, and El Corridor.
Also in February 2007, 2002 United States Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
Azeri
Azeri (horse)
Azeri is an American Hall of Fame champion thoroughbred racehorse who was 2002 US Horse of the Year and Champion Older Female from 2002 to 2004.-Breeding:...
foaled a chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
by 1992 United States Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
A. P. Indy at the farm.
Along with Azeri, resides other distinguished racing broodmares. They have included 1999 United States Champion 3-Yr-Old Filly
Eclipse Award for Outstanding 3-Year-Old Filly
The American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971....
Silverbulletday
Silverbulletday
Silverbulletday is an American Thoroughbred Champion Filly racehorse. Bred in Kentucky, she was sired by Silver Deputy and out of the GII winning mare Rokeby Rose. Her damsire was Tom Rolfe, the 1965 Preakness Stakes winner and that year's U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt...
, 1991 Canadian Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
champion Dance Smartly
Dance Smartly
Dance Smartly was a Champion Thoroughbred Canadian and U.S. Hall of Fame racemare who went undefeated in 1991 while winning the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and becoming the first horse bred in Canada to ever win a Breeders' Cup race.Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm, the bay mare...
, and Better Than Honour
Better Than Honour
Better Than Honour is an American thoroughbred mare racehorse, best known for her career as a broodmare. She is out of the Kentucky Oaks winner, Blush With Pride, by the sire, Deputy Minister...
, dam of Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
winners, Jazil
Jazil
Jazil is an American Thoroughbred racehorse.In 2006, Jazil dead-heated for fourth place in the Kentucky Derby but then won the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown.- Connections :...
and Rags to Riches
Rags to Riches (horse)
Rags to Riches is an American thoroughbred filly racehorse who in 2007 became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in over a century. She was sired by 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee A.P. Indy, who in turn was a son of 1977 U.S...
.
Dance Smartly had recently been moved to Sam-Son Farm
Sam-Son Farm
Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada, where she was humanely euthanized
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
due to a paddock incident in August 2007.
Burial site
Hill 'n' Dale is the burial place of Triple CrownUnited States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
winner, Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
. He is buried in the courtyard at the farm.