Meddler (horse)
Encyclopedia
Meddler was a British
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who was a leading two-year-old in England
and a Leading sire in North America
in 1904 and 1906. Bred and raced by George Baird, his sire, St. Gatien
, dead heated
for the win in the 1884 Epsom Derby
and won the 1885 Ascot Gold Cup
. His dam was Baird's brilliant racing mare
, Busybody, winner of the 1884 Epsom Oaks
and One Thousand Guineas Stakes.
Meddler won all three starts at age two, and was regarded as second only to Isinglass
among the colts of his generation. The last of his wins came in the Dewhurst Stakes
at Newmarket
on October 27 when he led all the way to beat Raeburn by half a length. According to rules governing the sport of British horse racing in effect at the time, when his owner George Baird died, all of Meddler's future race bookings were void. As such, Meddler could not race in the British Classic Races at age three and was sold for $76,000 to American William H. Forbes of Readville, Massachusetts
who brought him to the United States in 1893 to stand at his Neponset Stud. On Forbes' death in 1894, Meddler was purchased by William Collins Whitney of New York city
who sent him to stand at stud
at his La Belle Stud at Lexington, Kentucky
.
Among Meddler's offspring, his son Royal Tourist
won a 1908 American Classic, the Preakness Stakes
, and set a World Record
time on dirt in winning the Winters Handicap at Emeryville Race Track in Oakland, California
. In 1905 Meddler's daughter, Tanya
, became the second filly
to ever win the Belmont Stakes
.
In 1906 his son Go Between's wins included the very important Suburban Handicap
and was the retrospective American Champion Older Male Horse.
Through his daughter, Mineola, Meddler was the damsire of Johren
, the 1918 American Horse of the Year, and, from Miss Minnie, he was the damsire of 1921 American Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Grey Lag
.
Clarence MacKay bought Meddler for $51,000 at the dispersal sale of William Collins Whitney's horses. MacKay stood him at W. S. Fanshawe's Silverbrook Farm in New Jersey
, then at Kingston Farm run by Foxhall A. Daingerfield near Lexington, Kentucky
. Meddler was eventually sent to a breeding operation in France
where he died at age twenty-six on April 17, 1916.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
who was a leading two-year-old in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and a Leading sire in North America
Leading sire in North America
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
in 1904 and 1906. Bred and raced by George Baird, his sire, St. Gatien
St. Gatien
St. Gatien was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1884 he was involved in the second and final dead heat in the history of the Epsom Derby, part of an unbeaten sequence of twelve races. St...
, dead heated
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
for the win in the 1884 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
and won the 1885 Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
. His dam was Baird's brilliant racing mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
, Busybody, winner of the 1884 Epsom Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
and One Thousand Guineas Stakes.
Meddler won all three starts at age two, and was regarded as second only to Isinglass
Isinglass (horse)
Isinglass was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who dominated during his time in racing and won the English Triple Crown.-Racing record:...
among the colts of his generation. The last of his wins came in the Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
at Newmarket
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
on October 27 when he led all the way to beat Raeburn by half a length. According to rules governing the sport of British horse racing in effect at the time, when his owner George Baird died, all of Meddler's future race bookings were void. As such, Meddler could not race in the British Classic Races at age three and was sold for $76,000 to American William H. Forbes of Readville, Massachusetts
Readville, Massachusetts
Readville, called Low Plains from 1655 until renaming in 1847 after Mr. James Read originally part of Dedham until 1867 but now a part of Boston, is considered either a part of the Hyde Park neighborhood, or a neighborhood in its own right. It is served by Readville station on the MBTA Commuter Rail...
who brought him to the United States in 1893 to stand at his Neponset Stud. On Forbes' death in 1894, Meddler was purchased by William Collins Whitney of New York city
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
who sent him to stand at stud
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
at his La Belle Stud at Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
Among Meddler's offspring, his son Royal Tourist
Royal Tourist
Royal Tourist was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the American Classic Preakness Stakes in 1908 and who later that year set a World Record time in winning the Winters Handicap at Emeryville Race Track in Oakland, California....
won a 1908 American Classic, the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, and set a World Record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
time on dirt in winning the Winters Handicap at Emeryville Race Track in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. In 1905 Meddler's daughter, Tanya
Tanya (horse)
Tanya was an American thoroughbred filly racehorse bred and raised in Kentucky. She was bred by William Collins Whitney and foaled at his Brookdale Farm in Lincroft, New Jersey. Sired by the outstanding English stallion Meddler, she was out of the mare Handspun.Unfortunately, before Tanya could...
, became the second filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
to ever win the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
.
In 1906 his son Go Between's wins included the very important Suburban Handicap
Suburban Handicap
The Suburban Handicap is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is run at the classic one-and-one-quarter mile distance on dirt for a $400,000 purse....
and was the retrospective American Champion Older Male Horse.
Through his daughter, Mineola, Meddler was the damsire of Johren
Johren
Johren was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United States. His most important win came in the 1918 Belmont Stakes.-Background:...
, the 1918 American Horse of the Year, and, from Miss Minnie, he was the damsire of 1921 American Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
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...
inductee, Grey Lag
Grey Lag
Grey Lag was a thoroughbred race horse born in Kentucky and bred by John E. Madden. At his Hamburg Place near Lexington, Kentucky, Maddon had a good stallion called Star Shoot which he bred to all his mares. Out of a failed racemare called Miss Minnie who had produced no previous winners, he got...
.
Clarence MacKay bought Meddler for $51,000 at the dispersal sale of William Collins Whitney's horses. MacKay stood him at W. S. Fanshawe's Silverbrook Farm in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, then at Kingston Farm run by Foxhall A. Daingerfield near Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. Meddler was eventually sent to a breeding operation in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he died at age twenty-six on April 17, 1916.
External links
- Full profile of The Meddler at Thoroughbred Heritage
- Meddler's pedigree