Thoroughbred Champions -- Championing the Horse & the Sport

Meadow Star: Beacon in the Dark

by Joyce Thompson Berk

1990 is a year that many racing fans would like to forget. The loss of top stallions Fappiano, The Minstrel, Alydar, and Northern Dancer plus a tragic Breeders' Cup day made for a dark, bleak autumn. Mr. Nickerson and Shaker Knit's deaths in the Sprint, and Go for Wand's in the Distaff stunned fans everywhere. However, sandwiched in the middle of tragedy a bright spot gleamed quietly. Her name was Meadow Star.

This two-year-old filly had more than Jose Santos riding on her back that Breeders' Cup day. Two weeks earlier her owner, Carl Icahn, announced that he would donate all of her future earnings to an organization called the Children's Rescue Fund. The medium-sized filly gained giant-sized stature in the eyes of her fans and didn't disappoint in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She demonstrated her dominance once and for all and completed the year a perfect seven for seven.

Carl Icahn and Meadow Star hooked up at the 1989 Keeneland yearling sale. He bought the chestnut daughter of Meadowlake for $90,000 and sent her to Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The sensible, tractable filly eagerly learned all her lessons then graduated to Payson Park in Florida. She trained there until joining trainer LeRoy Jolley's barn in mid-May.

Meadow Star made her first appearance June 13, 1990, in an allowance race at Belmont. She was the first starter, and first winner, for her young sire Meadowlake, who himself had brilliant speed in three starts before an injury forced his retirement. Meadow Star showed enough potential running the five furlongs in :58 4/5 to leap right into stakes company for her next start. She won the Astoria Breeders' Cup Stakes by 1 ź length.

Moving to Saratoga, Meadow Star made her third start in the six-furlong Schuylerville Stakes on Aug. 1st. Racing wide, Chris Antley guided her past leader Garden Gal to win by three lengths. Meadow Star then teamed with Jose Santos to grab the six-furlong Spinaway Stakes on Saratoga's last day.

The Sept. 16 Matron at Belmont was next for the businesslike Meadow Star. She won the seven furlong race easily, equaling the stakes record of 1:22 4/5 in the process. In her final start prior to the Breeders' Cup, she turned in a smashing display in the Oct. 6 Frizette at Belmont. The crowd started cheering in the final sixteenth, as Meadow Star drew away to win by fourteen lengths. Time for the mile was 1:35 2/5, which again equaled the stakes record. Her unblemished record remained intact after six starts.

Meadow Star was popular, not only with fans but also with her connections. Jose Santos commented at the time that Meadow Star was the best filly he'd ever ridden. Exercise rider Mariana Makarova called her a "very kind, sweet filly." Her groom, Harold Simms declared that if you treat horses like humans they'll talk back -- "When she squeals, you know she's feeling good." Simms had great faith in his charge; nothing bothered her, he said, she was quiet, fun, never a problem, and a real lady.

A few weeks before the Breeders' Cup, owner Carl Icahn made his announcement about the 'lady's' future donations to the Children's Rescue Fund. Figuring he'd only ever have one like her in his lifetime, Icahn wanted his speedster to benefit children. This was unusual -- others had donated a portion to charity, but it is believed that Icahn was the first to donate it all. He founded the organization to help homeless children and a center was already being built. It would offer temporary housing while providing aid to mothers in the form of medicine, social services and help finding homes. So Meadow Star trained for her role carrying a heavy responsibility.

On October 27, 1990, Breeders' Cup day at Belmont got off to a bad start with the dual fatalities in the Sprint. The Juvenile Fillies came on the heels of this disaster. Entrants included Canadian hopefuls Dance Smartly and Wilderness Song, future turf star Flawlessly, California's Lite Light, Doradoradora and seven others. Meadow Star, at 1-5, was the heaviest favorite ever in a Breeders' Cup race. Breaking from post ten, she raced mid-pack behind leaders Wilderness Song and Dance Smartly. Jose Santos had confidence in his gallant filly as she began her run, only tapping her a couple times to keep her concentration. They charged around the field after ž mile and won by five lengths over Private Treasure and Dance Smartly, accomplishing the 1 1/16th in 1:44. Santos called her a "real champion, a pleasure to ride." With her win Meadow Star became a champion in more ways than one, earning $450,000 for the Children's Rescue Fund. Along with that she earned herself a two-month rest before moving to Payson Park to resume training.

At season's end, Meadow Star was voted Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and awarded top weight for fillies of 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap. This tied her (with two colts) for fourth overall behind leader Fly So Free at 126 lbs. The $992,250 she earned was a new record for a two-year-old filly.

Meadow Star joined Jolley's barn at Gulfstream in February. The trainer planned to start his new three-year-old in an allowance race, but her eagerly awaited return had to be postponed when she developed hives. She shipped to New York and on March 16, 1991, made her debut in the Queen of the Stage Stakes at Aqueduct. She took the lead after a half mile and easily beat her four rivals by 4 ž lengths.

On the morning of March 30 the track was covered with snow. Labeled muddy, it was upgraded to good by the time Meadow Star took to the track for the one-mile Comely. Facing four others and giving away up to nine pounds, Meadow Star dug in and won by 1 ž lengths. Her closing kick and fighting spirit encouraged Jolley. He tested her against colts in the 1 1/8 Wood Memorial three weeks later but she finished fourth, 10 1/4 lengths behind winner Cahill Road. Chris Antley commented that she tired a bit and got upset when other horses passed her. Although she ran a good race in a tough spot, Jolley decided to cancel plans for tackling the Kentucky Derby.

Nearly two months later Meadow Star reappeared in her own division. With Jerry Bailey aboard she captured the one-mile Acorn by six lengths. The win elevated her record against fillies to 10 for 10. Next up for the star was the 1 1/8 mile Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont on June 9. Four started, but basically it turned into a match race between Meadow Star and another speed sensation, Lite Light. The bay daughter of Majestic Light had been winning everything that her counterpart wasn't in. Her four wins included three Grade 1's, most recently the Kentucky Oaks in stakes record time. The weather for Mother Goose day turned out lovely, but the competitive spirit in evidence outshone even the brilliance of the sun. The crowd had a hard time choosing a favorite, but at post time Lite Light was 1-2 with Meadow Star at 4-5.

Lite Light broke out fastest. But Meadow Star quickly passed her as Lite Light faded to last. Meadow Star held a six-length lead, with Lite Light running fourth after the first quarter. The lead dwindled to three lengths by the half; 5/16 from the wire they were head to head. Meadow Star raced inside, a little from the rail, while Lite Light charged on the outside under Corey Nakatani. Through the stretch they battled, noses straining forward with every stride. Jerry Baily shook up Meadow Star just before the finish line; they flew under the wire with nobody really sure who the winner was. The crowd of 16,784 roared in appreciation for both gallant runners. It took six minutes for the judges to decide but in the end Meadow Star, with blaze face thrust out, emerged the victor. The winning margin was a scant nose.

After the race Jolley, an experienced veteran, commented that it was the closest finish he'd ever been involved in. That included another memorable battle, in the Travers Stakes between Jaiper and his Ridan, the second-place finisher on that day. Superlatives abounded in trying to describe the event, but Jolley had the best line, calling it "The Mother of all Gooses." Both fillies deserved all the accolades anyone could think of as they finished 15 ˝ lengths in front of the pair in the distance. The Children's Rescue Fund collected Meadow Star's $120,000 plus a $35,000 side wager Carl Icahn had made with rapper M.C. Hammer, Lite Light's owner.

The two faced off a month later in the 1 ź mile Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont. This time an even larger sum was wagered by the owners -- Hammer put up $150,000 and Icahn $200,000. Meadow Star was shooting for the 'Triple Tiara', but she was denied that particular piece of history. At the start, Meadow Star was second, with Lite Light fourth in the field of six. Rounding the turn for home, Lite Light took over on the rail; Meadow Star tried but couldn't keep up, and Lite Light pulled away to win by seven lengths. Her time of 2:00 2/5 set a new stakes record. Meadow Star deserved a vacation and got the rest of July and all of August off.

She returned on Sept. 6, 1991 in the one mile Maskette at Belmont. Making her first appearance against older females, the three-year-old finished fourth behind the winner Queena. It was the worst race of Meadow Star's career and she didn't exhibit any of her usual spark. Jolley pointed out that she hadn't raced in two months, got a bad start, and it was a tough race. She prepared for her next start, which came in the Sept. 21 Ruffian. Queena won again, and Meadow Star placed sixth. The champ came out of the race fine health-wise, but because she was a late foal (May 19th) and still a very young three, Jolley stopped on her for the year.

Meadow Star made 8 starts for the season, won 4, had one 2nd-place finish and earned $414,700. She was named Florida Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. Neither she nor Lite Light was voted the Eclipse Three-Year-Old Filly Champion. That honor went to Dance Smartly, who won the Breeders' Cup Distaff in addition to capturing the Canadian Triple Crown.

Taking her tarnished reputation south for the winter, Meadow Star debuted as a four-year-old on April 24, 1992, in Keeneland's Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes. She never got into it and was stuck in seventh place for the entire race. Unfortunately, it set the tone for the whole season. She started once in May, then had the summer off. Returning Sept 20th for the Ruffian, Meadow Star came in fifth behind Versailles Treaty. Three weeks later she was third to Fowda and Pasaena in the Spinster. The race promised enough for Jolley to try the Breeders' Cup, but once again Meadow Star faced a difficult task. Included in the stellar cast were Pasaena, Versailles Treaty, Lite Light, Fowda, Exchange, Saratoga Dew, Magical Maiden and Shared Interest. On Oct. 31 at Gulfstream, Meadow Star finished seventh behind winner Paseana, leaving her winless in five starts for the year. It was an unglamorous end to a brilliant start, and Meadow Star was retired to Trackside Farm near Versailles, Kentucky. Meadow Star's career record stands at 20 starts, 11 wins, 1 second, 1 third, and 2 fourths. Her total earnings were $1,445,740.

Today, Meadow Star resides at Trackside Farm along with Lite Light. Together the duo gave racing one of the most thrilling races of the decade. When Lite Light was purchased in November 1998, Rob Whiteley, director of Carl Icahn's Foxfield operation, commented, "Once again, Lite Light and Meadow Star will be a nose apart." Twelve-year-old Meadow Star has a 2000 filly by A.P. Indy, but is not in foal this year. She is doing fine and still sports the same willing spirit and sweet disposition that she displayed during her racing years.

Although the most vivid image from the 1990 Breeders' Cup may forever remain Go for Wand's shattering fall, Meadow Star provided a beacon of hope in another arena. It is impossible to measure the impact that she had on the needy children represented by the Children's Rescue Fund. In direct cash value, her purse donations totaled more than $900,000. Meadow Star and her owner made a profitable team; her winning streak generated publicity and interest in the fund. By linking his star filly with this worthy cause and offering to match donations from the public, Carl Icahn helped get the organization off to a good start. The Children's Rescue Fund still exists to this day and is doing fine. And that may be Meadow Star's lasting legacy.