He was sired by U.S. Hall of Fame Champion Buckpasser out of the mare Drama School by Northern Dancer.

[1] Ridden by jockey Jeffrey Fell, Norcliffe won two of the first three legs of the 1976 Canadian Triple Crown races on dirt at Woodbine Racetrack, capturing the Queen's Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes.

[3][4] Retired to stud at the end of the 1977 racing season, Norcliffe was North America's leading juvenile sire by number of wins and second in earnings in 1981.

[5] Another successful son of Norcliffe was At the Threshold, a 1981 foal out of the mare Winver.

She was a daughter of Vertex, a multiple winner of top level stakes and the sire of 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair and 1968 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Top Knight.