Editing Native Dancer (section)

====Summer campaign====
Winfrey planned a busy summer campaign to keep his "lazy so-and-so" active.<ref name=Lazy /> Native Dancer responded to the challenge, winning the Dwyer, Arlington Classic, Travers and American Derby in quick succession. On July 4, he went off as the 1-20 favorite in the [[Dwyer Stakes]]. He took the lead near the head of the stretch, "loafed for a while, exerted himself just a bit in the final yards," and won by {{frac|1|3|4}} lengths. Carrying 126 pounds, he conceded 10 pounds to each of his four rivals. Even though win-only betting was allowed, Native Dancer still created a small minus pool with a mandatory minimum payout of $2.10 for a $2 bet.<ref name="Dwyer">{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=DWYER TO CHOICE; Native Dancer, 1 to 20, Wins Another |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/07/05/archives/dwyer-to-choice-native-dancer-1-to-20-wins-another-dictar-runnerup.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=5 July 1953}}</ref>

Native Dancer then traveled to Chicago for the [[Arlington Classic]], run over a distance of a mile on a heavy track on July 18. His main rivals were expected to be Jamie K and Van Crosby, who had equaled the track record for seven furlongs in his previous start. Native Dancer carried 128 pounds, conceding six pounds to each of his seven rivals. As expected, Van Crosby set the pace, but was run down by Native Dancer turning into the stretch. Native Dancer continued to draw away and won by nine lengths, the biggest margin of victory of his career. Longshot Sir Mango closed late for second; Jamie K was never a factor.<ref name="ArlingtonClassic">{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=A 9-LENGTH ROMP; Native Dancer Beats Sir Mango |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/07/19/archives/a-9length-romp-native-dancer-beats-sir-mango-jamie-k-fifth-in.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=19 July 1953}}</ref>

On August 15, Native Dancer made his next start in the prestigious [[Travers Stakes]] at Saratoga. He conceded six pounds to Dictar and twelve to the other three entrants. In the walking ring, he was surrounded by a throng of fans looking for photographs. "It's the way people act when the president goes by in a parade," commented one man. Native Dancer maintained his calm. At the break, Fly Wheel took the early lead but soon dropped back. Guardian II then took over the lead for a few lengths before Dictar took command on the backstretch. Native Dancer bided his time until the {{frac|3|16}} pole, then powered away to win by {{frac|5|1|2}} lengths ahead of Dictar. Native Dancer again created minus pools in the win and place betting – show betting was not allowed.<ref name="Travers">{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=COLT TAKES NO. 17; Native Dancer Scores by 5 1/2 Lengths|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/16/archives/colt-takes-no-17-native-dancer-scores-by-5-12-lengths-dictar-next.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=16 August 1953}}</ref>

Guerin was suspended for an incident in another race<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Guerin Is Out of American Derby as Spa Stewards Suspend Him Ten Days; JOCKEY JOB OPEN ON NATIVE DANCER |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/18/archives/guerin-is-out-of-american-derby-as-spa-stewards-suspend-him-ten.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=18 August 1953}}</ref> and so missed Native Dancer's next start, the [[American Derby]] on August 22. [[Eddie Arcaro]] got the mount after the horse he had been scheduled to ride, Jamie K, was withdrawn from the race.<ref>{{cite web |title=Arcaro to Ride Native Dancer in Rich American Derby at Chicago Saturday |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/19/archives/arcaro-to-ride-native-dancer-in-rich-american-derby-at-chicago.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=19 August 1953}}</ref> Arcaro had previously questioned Native Dancer's credentials, saying, "All the Dancer has done is go around beating the same horses, and most of the time carrying equal weight." He had also questioned the horse's soundness. After galloping him for the first time though, he said, "He's a big, powerful animal. He handled well and had a good disposition."<ref>{{cite web |title=ARCARO TAKES RIDE ON NATIVE DANCER |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/21/archives/arcaro-takes-ride-on-native-dancer-jockey-after-first-workout-on.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=21 August 1953}}</ref>

Travelling back to Chicago, Native Dancer went off as the 1-10 favorite in a field of eight in the American Derby on August 22. He settled near the back of the pack behind a fast early pace set by Sir Mango. Entering the far turn, Native Dancer moved to the outside and into fourth place. Without any urging, he surged forward rounding the far turn and won by two lengths. He completed the {{frac|1|1|8}}-mile race in 1:48{{frac|1|5}}, just one-fifth of a second off the track record.<ref name="AmericanDerby">{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Joseph C. |title=FIRST BY 2 LENGTHS; Native Dancer Captures Rich Race Under Arcaro in Near-Record Time AMERICAN DERBY TO NATIVE DANCER |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/23/archives/first-by-2-lengths-native-dancer-captures-rich-race-under-arcaro-in.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=23 August 1953}}</ref> Arcaro believed that the colt could have broken the record if urged. "But he was winning, so I didn't see any point in pressing him," he said. "I let him run his own race." Despite the easy win, Arcaro still believed that Native Dancer had something to prove. He rated [[Citation (horse)|Citation]] as the best horse he had ever ridden.<ref>{{cite web |date=24 August 1953 |title=Citation still no. 1, Eddie Arcaro says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/24/archives/citation-still-no-1-eddie-arcaro-says-native-dancer-has-to-prove.html |access-date=22 July 2019 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

While Native Dancer was having a noteworthy campaign in the three-year-old division, [[Tom Fool]] was enjoying an equally brilliant one as a four-year-old. Racetracks began to alter stakes schedules and purses in hopes of having the two champions face off. For example, Pimlico increased the purse for the [[Pimlico Special]] to $50,000. Belmont Park followed suit by increasing the purse and changing the date of the Sysonby Stakes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dancer, Tom Fool Race Goal of Pimlico Track |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/04/archives/dancer-tom-fool-race-goal-of-pimlico-track.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=4 August 1953}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Roach |first1=James |title=Tom Fool-Native Dancer Race in Prospect as Belmont Changes Sysonby Date; MILE TEST SEPT. 26 RAISED TO $50,000 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/08/archives/tom-foolnative-dancer-race-in-prospect-as-belmont-changes-sysonby.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=8 August 1953}}</ref> The hopes for a race between the two died when several bruises were found on Native Dancer's left forefoot after the American Derby. He missed the rest of the year.<ref>{{cite web |title=NATIVE DANCER OUT OF RACING FOR 1953 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/09/20/archives/native-dancer-out-of-racing-for-1953-additional-bruises-on-injured.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=20 September 1953}}</ref>

Native Dancer was named [[American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse|champion three-year-old]] by all three major industry polls. However, in the Horse of the Year voting, he came second behind Tom Fool, who had won all ten of his starts.<ref>{{cite web |title=TOM FOOL HORSE OF YEAR; Native Dancer Named Leading 3-Year-Old by Turf Experts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/11/14/archives/tom-fool-horse-of-year-native-dancer-named-leading-3yearold-by-turf.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=14 November 1953}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Writers Pick Tom Fool As 'Horse of the Year' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/12/17/archives/writers-pick-tom-fool-as-horse-of-the-year.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=22 July 2019 |date=17 December 1953}}</ref>