Blazing Sword was best on dirt. As a 2-year-old in 1996, he won two stakes in the Florida Stallion Series--the Affirmed and Dr. Fager Stakes. The following year, he captured the Calder Derby (gr. III). His last year of racing came in 2000, when he won three stakes, including the Washington Park Handicap (gr. II).Sword Dance experienced his best season in 1997, when his runners earned close to $3.1 million, and his fee was upped from $5,000 to $30,000 for 1998.Sword Dance, who was scheduled to stand for $5,000 in 2004, is represented by 54 2-year-olds and 51 yearlings.
Sword Dance, the sire of 19 stakes winners, has been pensioned at Gilbert Campbell's Stonehedge Farm South near Williston, Fla., because of fertility problems. The 20-year-old son of Nijinsky II is owned by Campbell and will remain at the farm.A grade II winner on the racetrack, Irish-bred Sword Dance was moved to Stonehedge South from Ashleigh Stud Farm near Paris. Ky., for the 1992 breeding season.During his stallion career, Sword Dance sired millionaires Marlin and Blazing Sword. Marlin was one of the best turf runners in 1996-97, winning four grade I stakes. He captured the 1996 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) and Crown Royal Hollywood Derby (gr. IT), plus the following year's Arlington Million Stakes (gr. IT) and San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (gr. IT). He earned $2,448,880.
