Dancing Brave

Dancing Brave
Racing colours of Khalid Abdullah
Sire	Lyphard
Grandsire	Northern Dancer
Dam	Navajo Princess
Damsire	Drone
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	11 May 1983
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Glen Oak Farm
Owner	Khalid Abdullah
Trainer	Guy Harwood
Record	10: 8-1-0
Earnings	$1,776,723
Major wins
Craven Stakes (1986) 2000 Guineas (1986) Eclipse Stakes (1986) K. George VI & Q. Elizabeth Stakes (1986) Select Stakes (1986) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1986)
Awards
Top-rated European horse (International Classification) (1986) Top-rated European horse (Timeform) (1986) British Horse of the Year (1986) Timeform rating: 140

Dancing Brave (11 May 1983 – 2 August 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from the autumn of 1985 until October 1986 he ran ten times and won eight races. he was the outstanding European racehorse of 1986 when he won the 2000 Guineas, the Eclipse Stakes, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His only defeats came in the Epsom Derby and the Breeders' Cup Turf. He was retired to stud where he was a successful sire of winners in Europe before being exported to Japan where he died in 1999.

Dancing Brave was a bay colt with a white snip and three white feet, standing sixteen hands high, bred by the Glen Oak Farm in Kentucky. He was not a particularly attractive individual as a young horse, being described as parrot-mouthed with imperfect forelegs. Dancing Brave was sired by Lyphard out of Navajo Princess, a mare who won sixteen races including the Molly Pitcher Handicap. Navajo Princess was a descendant of the mare Stolen Kiss, who was the ancestor of notable racehorses including the Epsom Derby winner Henbit and the Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair.

He was purchased as a yearling by James Delahooke, on behalf of Khalid Abdullah for US$200,000 in Kentucky. The colt was sent into training with Guy Harwood at Pulborough. At the time, Harwood was noted for his modern approach to training, introducing Britain to features such as artificial gallops and barn-style stabling.