Dancer's Image was plagued by sore ankles during his career. On the Sunday prior to the 1968 Kentucky Derby, his handlers had a veterinarian give him a dose of phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to relieve inflammation of the joints. At the time, it was illegal for phenylbutazone to be in a horse's system on race day at Churchill Downs; however, Dancer's Image's veterinarian and handlers believed the medication would clear his system in time for the Derby. On Saturday, May 4, Dancer's Image won the Kentucky Derby, but was disqualified after traces of phenylbutazone were discovered in the mandatory post-race urinalysis. The disqualification was announced on Tuesday, May 7, with second-place finisher Forward Pass declared the winner and Dancer's Image moved to last. The controversy filled the sporting news of media outlets in North America and was a cover story for Sports Illustrated, which referred to it as "the year's major sports story." The next disqualification of a Kentucky Derby winner happened in 2019, when Maximum Security was disqualified for impeding the progress of several other horses.
Dancer's Image ran in the 1968 Preakness Stakes, finishing third to Forward Pass. However, he was disqualified again and set back to eighth place, this time for bumping the horse Martins Jig. Continued ankle problems resulted in Dancer's Image being retired after the race.
Kentucky Derby aftermath
Fuller and the horse's handlers filed an appeal of the disqualification, as they believed someone else may have been motivated to give the colt another dose of phenylbutazone. The Kentucky State Racing Commission examined the matter and ordered distribution of the purse with first money to Forward Pass. Fuller took legal action and, in December 1970, a Kentucky Court awarded first-place money to Dancer's Image. That decision was overturned on appeal in April 1972 by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in Kentucky State Racing Comm'n v. Fuller, 481 S.W.2d 298. Controversy and speculation still surround the incident, and in 2008 The New York Times called it "the most controversial Kentucky Derby ever". Forty years after the disqualification, owner Peter Fuller still believed he was a victim of a set-up, due to his being a wealthy civil rights sympathizer from Boston who offended the Kentucky racing aristocracy by donating Dancer's Image's $62,000 prize for a previous victory to Coretta Scott King two days after her husband's murder. Fuller said he had anticipated that someone might interfere with his colt and asked Churchill Downs officials to provide extra security before the race, but they denied the request. As of 2008, the Churchill Downs media guide for the Derby still included the official chart showing Dancer's Image as the winner. Legalized in 1974 by the Kentucky Racing Commission, phenylbutazone was so commonly used by 1986 that thirteen of the sixteen entrants in that year's Kentucky Derby were running on the medication.
Stud record
Dancer's Image was syndicated and sent to stand at stud at Glade Valley Farms in Frederick, Maryland. Eventually his owners sold the colt, and in 1974 he was sent to breeders in Ireland, then in 1979 to Haras du Quesnay at Deauville, France, owned by renowned breederAlec Head. During his time in Europe he had success with sprinters including the Group One winners Godswalk, Lianga and Saritamer. Dancer's Image was later sent to stand at stud in Japan, where he died at age 27 on December 26, 1992.
