Editing Native Dancer (section)

===1952: two-year-old campaign===
In his first season of racing, Native Dancer won all nine starts. He was voted the [[American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt]] for 1952, with two of the three major polls also naming him [[American Horse of the Year|Horse of the Year]].

Native Dancer made his first start on April 19, 1952 in a [[maiden race]] at [[Jamaica Racetrack]] over five furlongs. Going off at odds of 7-5 in a field of nine, he settled into fourth place down the backstretch, then started a strong drive in the middle of the turn to win by {{frac|4|1|2}} lengths.<ref name=Maiden>{{cite news |title=TRIUMPHS BY NECK; Master Fiddle Scores in the $63,300 Wood by Beating Tom Fool |work=The New York Times |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1952/04/20/84251579.html |access-date=18 July 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Just four days later, he returned in the [[Youthful Stakes]] where he was made the odds-on favorite in a field of twelve. He pressed a fast early pace set by Retrouve then pulled away in the stretch to win by six lengths.<ref name=Youthful>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Native Dancer Captures Jamaica Youthful by 6 Lengths; 9-10 SHOT TRIUMPHS OVER TRIBE IN DASH  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/04/24/archives/native-dancer-captures-jamaica-youthful-by-6-lengths-910-shot.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=18 July 2019 |date=24 April 1952}}</ref> The victory established the colt as the early leader of the two-year-old division.<ref name=Flash />

Native Dancer was then given a layoff to recover from sore shins. He returned to racing on the opening day of [[Saratoga Race Course]], August 4, in the [[Flash Stakes]] over {{frac|5|1|2}} furlongs. Again the odds-on favorite, he was ridden hard around the turn before drawing away in the stretch to win by {{frac|2|1|4}} lengths.<ref name=Flash>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Native Dancer Triumphs as Racing at Saratoga Starts; FLASH STAKES WON BY 4-TO-5 FAVORITE Native Dancer Triumphs Over Tiger Ski |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/08/05/archives/native-dancer-triumphs-as-racing-at-saratoga-starts-flash-stakes.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=5 August 1952}}</ref> On August 16, he entered the [[Saratoga Special Stakes|Saratoga Special]], noteworthy at the time for having a winner-takes-all purse of $17,000. He won by {{frac|3|1|2}} lengths over a muddy track.<ref name=SaratogaSpecial>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=DOUBLE FOR GUERIN; Jockey Rides One Count and Native Dancer to Saratoga Triumphs  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/08/17/archives/double-for-guerin-jockey-rides-one-count-and-native-dancer-to.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=17 August 1952}}</ref> He followed up by winning the [[Grand Union Hotel Stakes]] on August 23, defeating two previously undefeated colts – Tahitian King and Lafango. He won by {{frac|3|1|2}} lengths while running the fastest six furlongs at that year's Saratoga meeting, 1:11{{frac|1|5}}.<ref name=GrandUnion>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Native Dancer and One Hitter Take Spa Stakes Before Record 26,232; 26,232 AT SPA SEE NATIVE DANCER WIN |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/08/24/archives/native-dancer-and-one-hitter-take-spa-stakes-before-record-26232.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=24 August 1952}}</ref> He completed his dominance at Saratoga by winning the [[Hopeful Stakes]] on the meeting's closing day, August 31. Jockey [[Eric Guerin]] said, "I never had a second of worry. He took off when I asked him to."<ref name=Hopeful>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=6 IN ROW FOR COLT; Unbeaten Native Dancer Earns $51,450 at Spa in 48th Hopeful TIGER SKIN RUNS SECOND  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/08/31/archives/6-in-row-for-colt-unbeaten-native-dancer-earns-51450-at-spa-in-48th.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |language=en |date=31 August 1952}}</ref>

Native Dancer made his next start on September 22 at [[Belmont Park]] in a six-furlong special weight race. He broke in fifth place in the field of six, then steadily improved his position to win by {{frac|1|1|4}} lengths.<ref name=SpecialWeight>{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Joseph C. |title=Parading Lady Captures Vosburgh at Belmont by Length and a Half |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/09/23/archives/parading-lady-captures-vosburgh-at-belmont-by-length-and-a-half.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=23 September 1952}}</ref> Just five days later, he returned in the [[Belmont Futurity]], then one of the most prestigious races for two-year-olds in the United States. He turned in a "superlative performance" to win while tying the world record for {{frac|6|1|2}} furlongs, 1:14{{frac|2|5}}. He had been hard pressed though – Guerin admitted that he had thought the colt was beaten with an eighth of a mile remaining when he was headed by Tahitian King. But Native Dancer responded in the final furlong to open a {{frac|2|1|4}} lead advantage. He became the first gray horse to win the race.<ref name=Futurity>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Undefeated Juvenile Equals World Mark in 8th Victory; $107,545 FUTURITY TO NATIVE DANCER |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/09/28/archives/undefeated-juvenile-equals-world-mark-in-8th-victory-107545.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=28 September 1952}}</ref>

Native Dancer made his final start as a two-year-old in the [[East View Stakes]] at Jamaica on October 22 over a distance of {{frac|1|1|16}} miles. He won with ease, "wiggling his ears and having much fun" as he crossed the finish line {{frac|1|1|2}} lengths ahead of Laffango, who had earlier won the [[Champagne Stakes (United States)|Champagne Stakes]]. Guerin confirmed that Native Dancer had eased himself after taking the lead at the head of the stretch. "He's not going to do any more than you make him do," he said. "I never hit him with the whip."<ref name=EastView>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Native Dancer Wins Ninth in Row to Break Earnings Mark; UNBEATEN COLT, 1-5, SCORES AT DISTANCE Native Dancer Earns $38,525 at Jamaica for 2-Year-Old Record of $230,495 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/10/23/archives/native-dancer-wins-ninth-in-row-to-break-earnings-mark-unbeaten.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=23 October 1952}}</ref>

Native Dancer finished the year with nine wins, seven of them in stakes races, and earnings of $230,245, then a record for a two-year-old. He had been the odds-on favorite in all but his first start.<ref name=EastView /> He was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old. The Thoroughbred Racing Association also named him the American Horse of the Year, a "break with tradition" as two-year-olds are not normally considered for the award since they typically only race against horses of the same age and competition is not considered as deep.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=VANDERBILT COLT IS HORSE OF YEAR; Native Dancer Named the 1952 American Champion -- Morris Is New T. R. A. President |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1952/12/05/archives/vanderbilt-colt-is-horse-of-year-native-dancer-named-the-1952.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=5 December 1952}}</ref> The Turf and Sports Digest, polling 176 sportswriters, also awarded him Horse of the Year honors<ref>{{cite web |title=St. Petersburg Times: Native Dancer Horse of the Year |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KKxaAAAAIBAJ&pg=3415,2094278&dq=native-dancer+horse-of-the-year&hl=en |website=news.google.com |access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref> However, the Daily Racing Form voted instead for [[One Count]], winner of the Belmont and Jockey Club Gold Cup.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greensburg Daily Tribune: Name One Count Horse of the Year |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9ZVWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1078,2616842&dq=one-count+horse-of-the-year&hl=en |website=news.google.com |access-date=19 July 2019}}</ref>

He was assigned 130 pounds in the [[Experimental Free Handicap]], seven pounds ahead of Laffango and Tahitian King.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Campbell Assigns Native Dancer Top Weight for the Experimental; Gray Is Only Fourth Colt in History of Race to Draw 130 or More Pounds |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/01/10/archives/campbell-assigns-native-dancer-top-weight-for-the-experimental-gray.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=19 July 2019 |date=10 January 1953}}</ref>