Meddler (GB)
1890 – April 17, 1916
St. Gatien (GB) x Busybody (GB), by Petrarch (GB)
Family 1-w
1890 – April 17, 1916
St. Gatien (GB) x Busybody (GB), by Petrarch (GB)
Family 1-w
Considered a leading prospect for the 1893 English Classics, Meddler was knocked out of contention not by unsoundness or failure to train on but by the death of his owner, which voided all his stakes nominations. He was to make his mark in the stud instead, leading the American general sire list twice and continuing to influence the Thoroughbred through his daughters.
Race record
3 starts, 3 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, £3,427
1892:
Assessments
According to Joe Palmer (Names in Pedigrees), Meddler was generally considered the second best English juvenile of 1892 behind Isinglass, who was also unbeaten in three starts.
As an individual
Photographs suggest that Meddler was a bit upright in his pasterns but was otherwise a handsome, well-balanced individual with a very nice shoulder and hip and short cannons.
As a stallion
Meddler was a better sire of fillies than colts. Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits him with 32 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Balancoire II (FR), Go Between (USA), Perverse (USA), Stalwart (USA), Tangle (USA), Tanya (USA), Trigger (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Distraction (USA), Naturalist (FR), Traverse (GB)
Connections
Meddler was bred and owned by George Alexander Baird, who raced under the name "Mr. Abingdon." Because all his stakes engagements at age 3 were voided when Baird died on March 18, 1893, Meddler did not race after age 2. Instead, he was imported to the United States in 1893 by William H. Forbes, who beat out both an English syndicate and a representative of the Austrian government at the auction of Baird's horses when he paid US$76,000 for Meddler. The stallion stood at Forbes' Neponset Stud in Massachusetts until 1897, when Forbes died and Meddler was purchased for US$49,000 by William Collins Whitney. Meddler was then moved to Whitney's La Belle Stud in Kentucky, where he had the best opportunities of his stud career and took full advantage of them. Following Whitney's death in 1904, Meddler was bought for US$51,000 by Clarence H. Mackay. Initially installed at Mackay's Silverbrook Stud in New Jersey, Meddler later moved to Mackay's Kingston Stud near Lexington, KY. From there, Meddler (along with the rest of Mackay's stock) went to France in 1909, where he died at Haras de Fresnay on April 17, 1916.
Pedigree notes
Meddler is inbred 4x5x5 to four-time leading English sire Touchstone, 5x4 to two-time leading English sire Newminster, 5x5 to the noted broodmare Banter, and 5x5 to the good racer and sire Pantaloon. He had what was arguably the best pedigree of any stallion ever imported to North America. His sire, St. Gatien, was a dead-heat winner of the 1884 Derby Stakes and also won the 1885 Ascot Gold Cup. His dam, Busybody, won the 1884 One Thousand Guineas and Oaks Stakes, emulating the feats of her dam Spinaway (by 1863 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes winner Macaroni) in 1875. Busybody's sire, Petrarch, was also a dual Classic winner, taking the 1876 Two Thousand Guineas and St. Leger Stakes. As if that were not enough, Spinaway was produced from of the 1863 Oaks winner Queen Bertha (by the good English stayer Kingston), also the dam of 1879 Oaks winner Wheel of Fortune (by Adventurer) and Queen's Messenger (by Trumpeter), winner of the 1872 St. James's Palace Stakes. In addition, Queen Bertha produced Gertrude (by Saunterer), a winner of the Yorkshire Oaks and dam of 1879 Two Thousand Guineas winner Charibert (by Thormanby).
Books and media
Meddler is one of 50 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1939, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; re-released in 1974).
Fun facts
Last updated: June 15, 2022
Race record
3 starts, 3 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, £3,427
1892:
- Won British Dominion Two-Year-Old Stakes (ENG, 5FT, Sandown)
- Won Chesterfield Stakes (ENG, Newmarket)
- Won Dewhurst Plate (ENG, 7FT, Newmarket)
Assessments
According to Joe Palmer (Names in Pedigrees), Meddler was generally considered the second best English juvenile of 1892 behind Isinglass, who was also unbeaten in three starts.
As an individual
Photographs suggest that Meddler was a bit upright in his pasterns but was otherwise a handsome, well-balanced individual with a very nice shoulder and hip and short cannons.
As a stallion
Meddler was a better sire of fillies than colts. Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits him with 32 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 1904 and 1906; 3rd in 1901 and 1905.
- 5th on the American broodmare sire list in 1924-1926.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the American general sire list in 1904 and 1906; 3rd in 1901 and 1905.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 1904 and 1906.
Notable progeny
Balancoire II (FR), Go Between (USA), Perverse (USA), Stalwart (USA), Tangle (USA), Tanya (USA), Trigger (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Distraction (USA), Naturalist (FR), Traverse (GB)
Connections
Meddler was bred and owned by George Alexander Baird, who raced under the name "Mr. Abingdon." Because all his stakes engagements at age 3 were voided when Baird died on March 18, 1893, Meddler did not race after age 2. Instead, he was imported to the United States in 1893 by William H. Forbes, who beat out both an English syndicate and a representative of the Austrian government at the auction of Baird's horses when he paid US$76,000 for Meddler. The stallion stood at Forbes' Neponset Stud in Massachusetts until 1897, when Forbes died and Meddler was purchased for US$49,000 by William Collins Whitney. Meddler was then moved to Whitney's La Belle Stud in Kentucky, where he had the best opportunities of his stud career and took full advantage of them. Following Whitney's death in 1904, Meddler was bought for US$51,000 by Clarence H. Mackay. Initially installed at Mackay's Silverbrook Stud in New Jersey, Meddler later moved to Mackay's Kingston Stud near Lexington, KY. From there, Meddler (along with the rest of Mackay's stock) went to France in 1909, where he died at Haras de Fresnay on April 17, 1916.
Pedigree notes
Meddler is inbred 4x5x5 to four-time leading English sire Touchstone, 5x4 to two-time leading English sire Newminster, 5x5 to the noted broodmare Banter, and 5x5 to the good racer and sire Pantaloon. He had what was arguably the best pedigree of any stallion ever imported to North America. His sire, St. Gatien, was a dead-heat winner of the 1884 Derby Stakes and also won the 1885 Ascot Gold Cup. His dam, Busybody, won the 1884 One Thousand Guineas and Oaks Stakes, emulating the feats of her dam Spinaway (by 1863 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes winner Macaroni) in 1875. Busybody's sire, Petrarch, was also a dual Classic winner, taking the 1876 Two Thousand Guineas and St. Leger Stakes. As if that were not enough, Spinaway was produced from of the 1863 Oaks winner Queen Bertha (by the good English stayer Kingston), also the dam of 1879 Oaks winner Wheel of Fortune (by Adventurer) and Queen's Messenger (by Trumpeter), winner of the 1872 St. James's Palace Stakes. In addition, Queen Bertha produced Gertrude (by Saunterer), a winner of the Yorkshire Oaks and dam of 1879 Two Thousand Guineas winner Charibert (by Thormanby).
Books and media
Meddler is one of 50 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (1939, The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association; re-released in 1974).
Fun facts
- Meddler is the only American leading sire of the 20th century to have stood in Massachusetts during his career.
- Meddler's daughter Tanya became only the second filly to win the Belmont Stakes, following Ruthless in the inaugural Belmont of 1864.
Last updated: June 15, 2022