Lite Light
Encyclopedia
Lite Light was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse
. A daughter of Hall of Famer
Majestic Prince
, Lite Light counts Nearco
and Princequillo
among her ancestors. She was owned by Jack L. Finley at age two and into the early phases of her three-year-old campaign before being purchased by rap music
star MC Hammer
and raced under his Oaktown Stable banner.
At age two, Lite Light raced at tracks in California
where she won the Oak Leaf Stakes
and the Sorrento Stakes
and was second in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes
and the Hollywood Starlet Stakes
. In 1991, she blossomed into one of the top three-year-old fillies racing in the United States. After winning several important Grade I
stakes events on the West Coast
and the Grade II Fantasy Stakes
at Oaklawn Park
in Hot Springs, Arkansas
, Lite Light went to Louisville, Kentucky
where she won the Kentucky Oaks
against some of the best fillies in the country.
Sent north to race in New York
, in the 1⅛ mile Mother Goose Stakes
Light Lite was up against Meadow Star
whom she had lost to by a wide margin in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
. In the Mother Goose, after the two ran head-to-head from the turn at the top of the homstretch, Meadow Star won by a "lip" in a photo finish that took the officials six minutes to adjudicate. The two fillies finished 15 ½ lengths in front of the rest of the field. A month later, they met again in the Coaching Club American Oaks
. Once again they pulled away from the field, going head-to-head at the top of the stretch. But this time Lite Light put on a powerful drive and won by seven lengths in stakes record time.
MC Hammer's financial difficulties eventually forced the sale of his stable. Lite Light retired after racing at age five to serve as a broodmare.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. A daughter of Hall of Famer
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
Majestic Prince
Majestic Prince
Majestic Prince was a Thoroughbred racehorse purchased by Calgary, Alberta oilman Frank McMahon at the Keeneland yearling sale in September 1967 for a then record price of $250,000...
, Lite Light counts Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
and Princequillo
Princequillo
Princequillo was a Thoroughbred racehorse conceived in France and born in Ireland. He is known for his performances in long-distance races and his successes as a sire.-Background:...
among her ancestors. She was owned by Jack L. Finley at age two and into the early phases of her three-year-old campaign before being purchased by rap music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
star MC Hammer
MC Hammer
Stanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
and raced under his Oaktown Stable banner.
At age two, Lite Light raced at tracks in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where she won the Oak Leaf Stakes
Oak Leaf Stakes
The Oak Leaf Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at the end of September at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is restricted to two-year-old fillies...
and the Sorrento Stakes
Sorrento Stakes
The Sorrento Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. It is open only to two-year-old fillies and is run at a distance of six and one-half furlongs on Polytrack...
and was second in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes
Del Mar Debutante Stakes
The Del Mar Debutante Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race restricted to two-year-old fillies run each year in early September at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California...
and the Hollywood Starlet Stakes
Hollywood Starlet Stakes
The Hollywood Starlet Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies run each December at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. Currently offering a purse of $400,000, the Grade I event, it was raced on dirt until 2006 when the new synthetic Cushion Track was...
. In 1991, she blossomed into one of the top three-year-old fillies racing in the United States. After winning several important Grade I
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
stakes events on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and the Grade II Fantasy Stakes
Fantasy Stakes
The Fantasy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A Grade II event, it is open to three-year-old fillies willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt.-Records:Speed record:...
at Oaklawn Park
Oaklawn Park
Oaklawn Park is an American thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South.In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Ten, Oaklawn was ranked...
in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
, Lite Light went to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
where she won the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
against some of the best fillies in the country.
Sent north to race in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, in the 1⅛ mile Mother Goose Stakes
Mother Goose Stakes
The Mother Goose Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced on dirt, the Grade I race offers a purse of $250,000. Inaugurated in 1957 at a mile and a sixteenth, it was lengthened to a mile and an eighth in 1959...
Light Lite was up against Meadow Star
Meadow Star
Meadow Star was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse Breeders' Cup Inc. calls "one of the greatest 2-year-old fillies ever."Foaled in Florida, Meadow Star was bred by Jaime Carrion at his The Oaks farm in Ocala...
whom she had lost to by a wide margin in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.-Automatic Berths:Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup...
. In the Mother Goose, after the two ran head-to-head from the turn at the top of the homstretch, Meadow Star won by a "lip" in a photo finish that took the officials six minutes to adjudicate. The two fillies finished 15 ½ lengths in front of the rest of the field. A month later, they met again in the Coaching Club American Oaks
Coaching Club American Oaks
The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $250,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in 2010....
. Once again they pulled away from the field, going head-to-head at the top of the stretch. But this time Lite Light put on a powerful drive and won by seven lengths in stakes record time.
MC Hammer's financial difficulties eventually forced the sale of his stable. Lite Light retired after racing at age five to serve as a broodmare.