Since 1886, Eastern horsemen had generally avoided Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby thanks to a feud between Churchill Downs and James Ben Ali Haggin, the biggest owner-breeder of his time. That changed in 1911, when the shutdown of racing in New York and New Jersey due to antigambling legislation led Richard Carmen to enter his Meridian in the Kentucky Derby. Meridian duly won and became the first Kentucky Derby winner to be acclaimed as American champion 3-year-old male since Joe Cotton in 1885. As later events proved, Meridian was not a great horse, though he was hardy and consistent, and he was not a success at stud.
Race record
66 starts, 20 wins, 15 seconds, 10 thirds, US$26,491
1910:
1911:
1912:
1913:
1914:
Honors
As an individual
A bay horse, Meridian was well-balanced but upright in his front pasterns. He had a straight, strong hind leg.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Meridian with four stakes winners.
Connections
Foaled at Darnady Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, Meridian was bred by Charles L. Harrison. He was campaigned by his breeder until the Saratoga meeting, when he was sold to Richard F. Carmen for US$5,100. Prior to the colt's sale, he was trained by Raleigh Colston; afterward, he was trained by Andrew Ewing. Following his racing career, Meridian entered stud in Maryland in 1915 at Carmen's Carmandale Stud. In 1923, Meridian was purchased by William Garth and moved to Inglecrest Farm in Virginia (later the property of Garth's son-in-law, Dr. John P. Jones), where he remained until his death in 1935.
Pedigree notes
Meridian is inbred 4x4 to 1875 Derby Stakes winner and three-time English/Irish champion sire Galopin. He is a half brother to stakes winners Bon Homme and Susweep, both by Sweep.
Sired by the St. Simon horse Masetto, Sue Sweep won the 1905 Astarlia Stakes as a juvenile. She is a half sister to Annagh (by Broomstick), dam of multiple stakes winner New Hampshire (by Granite) and juvenile stakes winner Ogarite (by Granite). The next dam in the tail-female line, Ethel Lee (by the English import Whistle Jacket) is out of Marmora, a daughter of Falsetto and the Glenelg mare Marmoset.
Fun facts
Last updated: January 27, 2020
Race record
66 starts, 20 wins, 15 seconds, 10 thirds, US$26,491
1910:
- 2nd Double Event #2 (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd Foam Stakes (USA, 5FD, Sheepshead Bay)
1911:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs; equaled track record 2:05)
- Won National Handicap (CAN, 9FD, Hamilton; new track record 1:48-4/5)
- Won Frontier Stakes (CAN, 9FD, Windsor)
- 2nd Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Lexington)
- 2nd Canadian Derby (CAN, 10FD, Hamilton)
- 2nd Fourth of July Stakes (CAN, 8F+70yD, Fort Erie)
- 2nd Kentucky Stakes (USA, 8F+70yD, Latonia)
- 3rd Canadian Sportsmen's Handicap (CAN, 8.5FD, Fort Erie)
1912:
- Won Washington's Birthday Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Palmetto Park)
- Won Argyle Hotel Handicap (USA, 6FD, Palmetto Park)
- Won Kentucky Stakes (USA, 8F+70yD, Latonia)
- 2nd Charleston Hotel Handicap (USA, 8FD, Palmetto Park)
- 2nd Latonia Inaugural (USA, 8.5FD, Latonia)
- 3rd Criterion Stakes Handicap (USA, 6FD, Latonia)
- 3rd Juarez Handicap (Mex, 6FD, Juarez)
1913:
- Won Excelsior Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Paumonok Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Kings County Handicap (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
1914:
- 2nd Queens County Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Brookdale Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Yonkers Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
Honors
- American Horse of the Year (1911)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1911)
As an individual
A bay horse, Meridian was well-balanced but upright in his front pasterns. He had a straight, strong hind leg.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Meridian with four stakes winners.
Connections
Foaled at Darnady Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, Meridian was bred by Charles L. Harrison. He was campaigned by his breeder until the Saratoga meeting, when he was sold to Richard F. Carmen for US$5,100. Prior to the colt's sale, he was trained by Raleigh Colston; afterward, he was trained by Andrew Ewing. Following his racing career, Meridian entered stud in Maryland in 1915 at Carmen's Carmandale Stud. In 1923, Meridian was purchased by William Garth and moved to Inglecrest Farm in Virginia (later the property of Garth's son-in-law, Dr. John P. Jones), where he remained until his death in 1935.
Pedigree notes
Meridian is inbred 4x4 to 1875 Derby Stakes winner and three-time English/Irish champion sire Galopin. He is a half brother to stakes winners Bon Homme and Susweep, both by Sweep.
Sired by the St. Simon horse Masetto, Sue Sweep won the 1905 Astarlia Stakes as a juvenile. She is a half sister to Annagh (by Broomstick), dam of multiple stakes winner New Hampshire (by Granite) and juvenile stakes winner Ogarite (by Granite). The next dam in the tail-female line, Ethel Lee (by the English import Whistle Jacket) is out of Marmora, a daughter of Falsetto and the Glenelg mare Marmoset.
Fun facts
- Most of Carmandale Stud was destroyed by fire on October 3, 1922, killing 15 broodmares and 10 foals, but Meridian, another stallion, and three mares were kept in another barn and were not harmed. The fire was suspected to have been caused by arsonists exacting revenge for Richard Carmen's activities in opposing local rum runners during the Prohibition era.
- Meridian was one of three Kentucky Derby winners kept at Inglecrest Farm, the others being 1917 winner Omar Khayyam and 1920 victor Paul Jones.
- Although current records indicate that Charles L. Harrison bred Meridian, the Louisville Courier-Journal of May 14, 1911, stated that Meridian was bred at Captain Harry Brown's Senorita Stud and was purchased by Harrison as a yearling.
Last updated: January 27, 2020