Mariah's Storm
Mariah's Storm (born 1991 in Kentucky) was an American thoroughbred filly 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.
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.
The Story of Mariah's Storm
Mariah's Storm was a very well bred filly with a lot of racing prospect. She was a daughter of Rahy, who would also sire 2001 European Horse of the Year Fantastic Light, Noverre, Champion 3-Year-Old in England, and Dreaming of Anna, 2006 U.S. 2-Year-Old Champion Filly & Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner. Mariah's Storm's grandsire was the important Blushing Groom and her damsire was Epsom Derby winner, Roberto.
In 1993, Mariah's Storm was working on building points to qualify for a chance to run in that fall's Breeder's Cup. The dream of getting there came to a bitter end when she fractured her front left cannon bone while running in the Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. When a horse injures their cannon bone, it usually ends their 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. But the question of whether she would ever race again still hung in the balance.
Full Recovery and a Big Surprise
In September 1993, before the injury had 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 had fully recovered, she made a return to racing in 1994 and won the Arlington Oaks and 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, in the process defeating the future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Serena's Song, also a daughter of Rahy. She went on to win the Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs then competed in the Breeders' Cup Distaff where she finished ninth in a ten horse field.
Produce Record
Mariah's Storm easily 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. Mariah's Storm has 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.
In the media
The movie Dreamer (2005 film) 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 in a ten horse field.
