Glorious Song earned the distinction of becoming Canada’s first millionaire in 1981, a season in which she was named Canada’s champion filly or mare for the second year in a row. She was the unanimous choice for a Sovereign as Horse of the Year in 1980, a season in which she also earned an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion distaffer. It was a title she richly deserved, having beaten the best of her sex as well as some of the top colts in racing.
When she retired to the broodmare shed, where she was similarly brilliant in producing world champion Singspiel as well as leading sire Rahy, her career earnings from 17 wins in 34 starts was $1,000,534. She was bred to such sires as Northern Dancer, Nijinsky II, Riverman and Blushing Groom, producing stakes winners Rakeen and Song of Freedom as well.
Bred by E.P. Taylor, the bay filly by Halo-Ballade, was purchased by Frank Stronach for $36,000 at the 1977 CTHS yearling sales. She won her only start as a juvenile in 1978. The following year Stronach sold a half-interest for $500,000 to Nelson Bunker Hunt, a season in which she won the Belle Mahone, Wonder Where, Maple Leaf and Ontario Damsel Stakes. Hunt, the millionaire tycoon of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Farm, became sole owner of Glorious Song in 1981, a season in which she was hindered by various problems but managed to win the Gr.1 Spinster Stakes as well as the graded Santa Margarita and Dominion Day Stakes, a race in which she set a track record at Woodbine for a mile and one-eighth. During her career she was trained by Fred Loschke, Gerry Belanger and John Cairns.
In 1980, under the tutelage of Belanger, Glorioius Song began her climb to prominence in California, where she won the Santa Margita Invitational Handicap and the La Canada. Shipping east to New York didn’t sidetrack her. She went out and defeated favored Misty Gallore in the Top Flight Handicap. The triumph marked the first time a Canadian-bred had won three successive Grade One races. After losing a nose decision to Overskate in the Laurance Armour Handicap, she came back to defeat fellow Hall of Famer in the Michigan Mile And One-Eighth. She followed up with wins in the Canadian Maturity and Dominion Day. Then came the exciting stretch duel and confrontation with America’s Horse of the Year, Spectacular Bid, in the Amory L. Haskell at Monmouth, N.J. She was second but it earned her invitation to compete in the Marlboro Cup, a race at Belmont in which she was second to Winter’s Tale.
In 1980 Glorious Song raced 11 times, eight in graded stakes races, and was never out of the money. She earned $525,617, a record at that time for seasonal earnings by a Canadian-bred in North America.