Meadow Star (USA)
May 19, 1988 – April 11, 2002
Meadowlake (USA) x Inreality Star (USA), by In Reality (USA)
Family 16-g
May 19, 1988 – April 11, 2002
Meadowlake (USA) x Inreality Star (USA), by In Reality (USA)
Family 16-g
One of the most impressive juvenile fillies seen in years, Meadow Star capped an unbeaten 2-year-old season by winning the Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) by 14 lengths and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) by five lengths. A brief flirtation with the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) trail ended after she ran fourth behind Cahill Road in the Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-G1), but she added two more Grade 1 wins to her resume—including the Mother Goose Stakes after a pulsating duel with Lite Light—before tailing off. She was not a very successful broodmare during her own career but in recent years has resurfaced as the third dam of 2016 American champion 3-year-old male Arrogate and multiple Grade 1 winner Belle Gallantey.
Race record
20 starts, 11 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$1,445,740
1990:
1991:
1992:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1991).
Assessments
Highweighted among juvenile fillies at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, 4 pounds above second-rated Cuddles and Lite Light.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1991, 5 pounds below champion Dance Smartly.
As an individual
A smallish chestnut mare with a good shoulder, powerful hindquarters, and good muscling well down into her forearms and gaskins, Meadow Star was gentle off the track and could be placed as her jockey pleased when on it. While skittish in the saddling enclosure, she was game and determined in a drive. 9 furlongs was the absolute limit to her tether. She handled varying track conditions well.
As a producer
Meadow Star produced five named foals. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Meadow Star was bred by Jaime S. Carrion. She was owned by Carl Icahn, who purchased her for US$90,000 from the 1989 Keeneland September yearling sale. She was trained by Leroy Jolley and was ridden to her win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies by Jose Santos. Meadow She died from complications of foaling at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute on April 11, 2002, and was buried at Trackside Farm, where she had been boarded.
Pedigree notes
Meadow Star is inbred 4x3 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer. She is a full sister to Retiro Park, dam of 2004 Berkeley Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Snorter (by Awesome Again). She is also a half sister to 1996 Hill Prince Stakes (USA-G3) winner Optic Nerve (by Majestic Light).
Meadow Star's dam Inreality Star is a winning full sister to 1985 Washington Park Stakes (USA-G2) winner Par Flite and a half sister to 1981 Arlington Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fairway Phantom (by What a Pleasure), 1972 Dover Stakes (USA-G3) winner Muscle (by Cornish Prince), Grade 2-placed multiple listed stakes winner Spectacularphantom (by Spectacular Bid) and Grade 3-placed stakes winner Marian Z. (by Gallant Man). Inreality Star is also a half sister to Fairway Star (by Prince John), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Wall Street Dancer (by Sovereign Dancer), and to Ataire (by What a Pleasure), second dam of Grade 2 winner Three Peat.
Inreality Star is out of the winning Native Dancer mare Imanative, whose half sister Halstell (by Francis S.) produced multiple stakes winner Lady With a Lick (by Pacific Native). Imanative is also a half sister to Raise a Flower (by Native Dancer's champion son Raise a Native), dam of French stakes winner Filoucyos (by Sicyos). Imanative and her sisters, in turn, are out of the My Babu mare Flolou, a winning full sister to 1960 Pimlico Futurity winner Garwol and a half sister to multiple stakes winner Francine M. (by Sir Gaylord).
Books and media
Videos of Meadow Star's wins in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and 1991 Mother Goose Stakes can be accessed within Bob Ehalt's article "Meadow Star: Dazzling Champion Sparkled in the Mother of All Gooses," published August 14, 2017 at America's Best Racing (https://www.americasbestracing.net/the-sport/2017-meadow-star-dazzling-champion-sparkled-the-mother-all-gooses).
Fun facts
Last updated: October 18, 2022
Race record
20 starts, 11 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$1,445,740
1990:
- Won Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Matron Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Belmont)
- Won Frizette Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Schuylerville Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Astoria Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G3, 5.5FD, Belmont)
1991:
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA-G1. 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Comely Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Queen of the Stage Stakes (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
1992:
- 3rd Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1991).
Assessments
Highweighted among juvenile fillies at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, 4 pounds above second-rated Cuddles and Lite Light.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1991, 5 pounds below champion Dance Smartly.
As an individual
A smallish chestnut mare with a good shoulder, powerful hindquarters, and good muscling well down into her forearms and gaskins, Meadow Star was gentle off the track and could be placed as her jockey pleased when on it. While skittish in the saddling enclosure, she was game and determined in a drive. 9 furlongs was the absolute limit to her tether. She handled varying track conditions well.
As a producer
Meadow Star produced five named foals. Her important foals are as follow:
- Field of Vision (1994, by Deputy Minister) is the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Belle Gallantey.
- Grechelle (1995, by Deputy Minister) is the dam of Grade 3-placed listed stakes winner Bubbler (by Distorted Humor) and listed-placed stakes winner Unbridled Femme (by Unbridled). Bubbler, in turn, is the dam of 2016 American champion 3-year-old male Arrogate (by Unbridled's Song).
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Meadow Star was bred by Jaime S. Carrion. She was owned by Carl Icahn, who purchased her for US$90,000 from the 1989 Keeneland September yearling sale. She was trained by Leroy Jolley and was ridden to her win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies by Jose Santos. Meadow She died from complications of foaling at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute on April 11, 2002, and was buried at Trackside Farm, where she had been boarded.
Pedigree notes
Meadow Star is inbred 4x3 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer. She is a full sister to Retiro Park, dam of 2004 Berkeley Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Snorter (by Awesome Again). She is also a half sister to 1996 Hill Prince Stakes (USA-G3) winner Optic Nerve (by Majestic Light).
Meadow Star's dam Inreality Star is a winning full sister to 1985 Washington Park Stakes (USA-G2) winner Par Flite and a half sister to 1981 Arlington Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fairway Phantom (by What a Pleasure), 1972 Dover Stakes (USA-G3) winner Muscle (by Cornish Prince), Grade 2-placed multiple listed stakes winner Spectacularphantom (by Spectacular Bid) and Grade 3-placed stakes winner Marian Z. (by Gallant Man). Inreality Star is also a half sister to Fairway Star (by Prince John), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Wall Street Dancer (by Sovereign Dancer), and to Ataire (by What a Pleasure), second dam of Grade 2 winner Three Peat.
Inreality Star is out of the winning Native Dancer mare Imanative, whose half sister Halstell (by Francis S.) produced multiple stakes winner Lady With a Lick (by Pacific Native). Imanative is also a half sister to Raise a Flower (by Native Dancer's champion son Raise a Native), dam of French stakes winner Filoucyos (by Sicyos). Imanative and her sisters, in turn, are out of the My Babu mare Flolou, a winning full sister to 1960 Pimlico Futurity winner Garwol and a half sister to multiple stakes winner Francine M. (by Sir Gaylord).
Books and media
Videos of Meadow Star's wins in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and 1991 Mother Goose Stakes can be accessed within Bob Ehalt's article "Meadow Star: Dazzling Champion Sparkled in the Mother of All Gooses," published August 14, 2017 at America's Best Racing (https://www.americasbestracing.net/the-sport/2017-meadow-star-dazzling-champion-sparkled-the-mother-all-gooses).
Fun facts
- Following Meadow Star's victory in the 1990 Frizette Stakes, owner Carl Icahn announced that he would donate all the filly's future earnings to the Children's Rescue Fund, a charity he had founded to help homeless children. Meadow Star ended up raising over US$1 million for the fund.
- The Daily Racing Form referred to Meadow Star's 1991 Mother Goose Stakes victory as the “Mother of All Gooses.” After a stretch-long duel with Lite Light, Meadow Star's margin of victory was so narrow that it took six minutes for the placing judges to determine that Meadow Star had won. The win enabled Carl Icahn to collect a US$35,000 side bet he had made with rap star M. C. Hammer, owner of Lite Light.
- Meadow Star is the namesake for a division of the Florida Sire Stakes. Open to Florida-bred 3-year-old fillies, the race is staged over 1 mile on dirt at Gulfstream Park.
Last updated: October 18, 2022