He was one of many important winners sired by the Canadian-bred Northern Dancer, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1964 before becoming one of the most successful breeding stallions in Thoroughbred history.

[5] Northern Baby began his three-year-old season by winning a minor race over 2100m at Saint-Cloud and was then beaten one length by the Alec Head-trained Wolverton in the Prix de Suresnes over 2000m at Longchamp Racecourse.

Northern Baby returned to England for one of Britain's most prestigious weight-for-age races, the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park Racecourse and finished third behind Dickens Hill and Crimson Beau.

In August, the colt was dropped in class for the Group Three Prix de la Côte Normande at Deauville Racecourse in which he started second favourite behind Wolverton.

[3] Northern Baby began his autumn campaign in the Prix du Prince d'Orange over 2000m at Longchamp in September, in which he was beaten half a length and a head by the four-year-old colt Rusticaro and the five-year-old mare Trillion.

Ridden by the Irish jockey Pat Eddery he briefly took the lead in the straight before fading to finish sixth of the twenty-two runners behind Three Troikas, Le Marmot, Troy, Pevero and Trillion.

Two weeks after his run in the Arc, Northern Baby was sent to England for the third time to contest the Group One Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse.

In the closing stages he held off a challenge from the five-year-old Town And Country to win by one and a half lengths, with Haul Knight a neck away in third[8] and Lyphard's Wish in fourth place.

[9] In August, the colt was sent to England again, but failed to reproduce his form of 1979, finishing unplaced behind Master Willie in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup at York.