Mariah's Storm

Last updated
Mariah's Storm
Sire Rahy
Grandsire Blushing Groom
DamImmense
Damsire Roberto
Sex Mare
Foaled1991
Country United States
Colour Bay
BreederCrescent Farm
OwnerThunderhead Farms
Trainer1) Don Von Hemel
2) Donnie K. Von Hemel
Record16: 10-2-1
Earnings$724,894
Major wins
Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (1993)
Ak-Sar-Ben Oaks (1994)
Arlington Oaks (1994)
Arlington Matron Stakes (1995)
Falls City Handicap (1995)
Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes (1995)
Honours
Mariah's Storm Stakes at Arlington Park
Last updated on June 18, 2007

Mariah's Storm (foaled April 1, 1991, in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred racehorse, bred by Donald T. Johnson's Crescent Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. She suffered a serious injury while racing but later made a full recovery and continued her career.

Contents

In 2005, film director John Gatins made a motion picture titled Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story in which the horse "Soñador" is based on Mariah's Storm.

Background

Mariah's Storm is a very well-bred filly with high racing potential. She was a daughter of Rahy, who also sired 2001 European Horse of the Year Fantastic Light, Noverre, Champion 3-Year-Old in England, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame member Serena's Song and Dreaming of Anna, the 2006 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner. Mariah's Storm's grandsire was the important Blushing Groom, and her damsire was Epsom Derby winner Roberto. [1]

Mariah's Storm was trained by the father and son team of Don Von Hemel and Donnie K. The father won the 1994 Ak-Sar-Ben Oaks and the 1995 Falls City Handicap with her and the son the 1993 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, 1994 Arlington Heights Oaks, and in 1995 the Arlington Matron Handicap and the Turfway Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup Stakes.

In 1993, Mariah's Storm was working on building points to qualify for a chance to run in that fall's Breeders' Cup when she fractured her front left cannon bone while running in the Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. When a horse injures her cannon bone, it usually ends her racing career. However, Mariah's Storm's owners and trainers refused to give up hope and with the work of several skilled veterinarians, the fractured cannon bone healed and strengthened.

Full recovery

In September 1993, before the injury occurred, Mariah's Storm won the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes at Chicago's Arlington Park. This was a Grade III stakes for two-year-old-fillies. After her injury healed and she fully recovered, she made a return to racing in 1994 and won the Arlington Oaks. In 1995, she won the Arlington Matron Stakes. Since her record of winning all three stakes races at Arlington Park was a rare accomplishment, Arlington officials named the Mariah's Storm Stakes in her honor.

Racing at age four, in September 1995 Mariah's Storm won the Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes at Turfway Park, defeating future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly Serena's Song, also a daughter of Rahy. She then won the Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs and competed in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, where she finished ninth in a ten-horse field.

Produce record

Mariah's Storm made her mark on the racing industry as a broodmare, producing the great Giant's Causeway (by Storm Cat), the European Horse of the Year for 2000. She also produced Freud, a full brother to Giant's Causeway who stands at Sequel Stallions New York. Freud was the leading sire in New York in 2008. [2] She has also produced significant mares: her first filly, a full sister to Giant's Causeway named You'resothrilling, produced four-time Group 1 winner Gleneagles and Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Marvellous. Mariah's Storm also produced a Sadler's Wells filly named Love Me Only that is the dam of Storm the Stars (by Sea the Stars), winner of the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes and placed in multiple Group 1 races. Mariah's Storm produced six colts in a row from 1997 to 2002, followed by seven fillies from 2005 to 2015. [3]

In the media

The 2005 film Dreamer was loosely based on the story of Mariah's Storm. However, in the movie, Soñador (the horse based on Mariah's Storm) won the Breeders' Cup Classic (as the fifth filly ever to participate in that race), whereas in real life, Mariah's Storm ran in the Breeders' Cup Distaff and finished ninth of ten. [4]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Mariah's Storm, bay mare, foaled April 1, 1991 [5]
Sire
Rahy
chestnut 1985		 Blushing Groom
ch. 1974		 Red God
ch. 1954		 Nasrullah
Spring Run
Runaway Bride
b. 1962		Wild Risk
Aimee
Glorious Song
b. 1976		 Halo
blk. 1969		 Hail to Reason
Cosmah
Ballade
dkb/br. 1972		 Herbager
Miss Swapsco
Dam
Immense
bay 1979		 Roberto
b. 1969		 Hail To Reason
br. 1958		 Turn-To
Nothirdchance
Bramalea
dkb/br. 1959		 Nashua
Rarelea
Imsodear
b. 1967		Chieftain
br. 1961		 Bold Ruler
Pocahontas
Ironically
ch. 1960		Intent
Itsabet (Family 11)

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Mariah's Storm's pedigree". December 15, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Bloodhorse - "You're-not the only star in this family"". August 19, 2016.,
  3. ↑ <Bloodhorse - "Storm's Surge" September 14, 2019>
  4. ↑ "10 Best Horse Movies". March 30, 2016.,
  5. ↑ "Mariah's Storm pedigree". www.equineline.com. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
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