| Horsename: | Nearctic |
| Sire: | Nearco |
| Grandsire: | Pharos |
| Dam: | Lady Angela |
| Damsire: | Hyperion |
| Sex: | Stallion |
| Foaled: | 11 February 1954 |
| Country: | Canada |
| Colour: | Brown/black |
| Breeder: | E. P. Taylor |
| Owner: | Windfields Farm |
| Trainer: | Gordon J. McCann |
| Record: | 47: 21–5–3 |
| Earnings: | $152,384 |
| Race: | Clarendon Stakes (1956) Saratoga Special Stakes (1956) Victoria Stakes (1956) International Handicap (1957) Seaway Handicap (1958) Canadian Maturity Stakes (1958) Swynford Stakes (1958) Bold Venture Stakes (1958) Michigan Mile (1958) |
| Awards: | Canadian Horse of the Year (1958) |
| Honours: | Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1977) Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack |
| Updated: | January 26, 2010 |
Nearctic (February 11, 1954 – July 27, 1973) was a Canadian-bred Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse.
Bred by E. P. Taylor, he was out of the Irish mare Lady Angela, a daughter of the British Champion sire Hyperion. He was sired by the extremely important stallion Nearco.[1]
Conditioned for racing by future Canadian Hall of Fame trainer "Pete" McCann, Nearctic had his most successful season on the track at age four, when he won nine races and was voted Canadian Horse of the Year.[1]
Retired to stand at stud at Windfields Farm[1] in Oshawa, Ontario. In 1967 he was syndicated for $1,050,000(US) and was moved to stand at Allaire du Pont's Woodstock Farm at Chesapeake City, Maryland. An outstanding stallion, Nearctic sired Kentucky Derby winner and the 20th century's greatest sire Northern Dancer. He also sired Icecapade, Ice Water, Nonoalco, Northern Queen, and Canadian Hall of Fame inductee, Cool Reception.
Over and above the many highly successful sons of Northern Dancer, Nearctic was the grandsire of Northern Taste, Wild Again, Fanfreluche, Izvestia, and Son of Briartic, among others. He was also the damsire of Kennedy Road and the Canadian and U.S. Hall of Fame filly La Prevoyante.
Nearctic appears four generations back on both sides (dam and sire) of multiple graded stakes winning including Kentucky Derby champion thoroughbred race horse Big Brown.
Nearctic was euthanized at Woodstock Farm at age nineteen[2] on July 27, 1973. He is buried in the farm's equine cemetery.[3]