Meridian (horse)

Meridian (1908–1935) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1911 Kentucky Derby, setting a new record by running 1​¹⁄₄ miles in 2 minutes, 5 seconds.[1] The previous record of 2:06​¹⁄₄ had been set by Lieut. Gibson in the 1900 Derby. Meridian was determined to be the historical Champion Three-Year Old and Horse of the Year of 1911.

Meridian
Meridian with R.F. Carman and jockey Archibald at 1911 Kentucky Derby.
Sire	Broomstick
Grandsire	Ben Brush
Dam	Sue Smith
Damsire	Masetto
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1908
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Charles Leonard Harrison
Owner	1. Charles L. Harrison 2. Richard F. Carman 3. William M. Garth
Trainer	Albert Ewing
Record	66: 20-15-10
Earnings	$26,491
Major wins
National Handicap (1911) Frontier Stakes (1911) Washington's Birthday Handicap (1912) Argyle Hotel Handicap (1912) Kentucky Stakes (1912) Excelsior Handicap (1913) American Classics wins: Kentucky Derby (1911)
Awards
American Champion Three-Year-Old Colt (1911) American Horse of the Year (1911)
Last updated on March 25, 2020

Pedigree

Meridian was foaled at Charles L. Harrison's farm in Bellevue, Kentucky in 1908. Charles Harrison (1856–1912) was a civil engineer by trade and was a designer of the Cincinnati and Eastern Railway.[2] Meridian's dam was Sue Smith, winner of the 1905 Astoria Stakes, who was sired by the imported British stallion Masetto.[3] Meridian's sire was Broomstick, son of 1896 Kentucky Derby winner Ben Brush, who was then standing at Samuel Brown's Senorita Stock Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Racing career

Meridian won three of his 12 starts as a two-year-old, gaining third place in the 1910 Foam Stakes and second place in the Sheepshead Bay Double Event Stakes while racing for Harrison in New York.[3] Harrison had consigned the Thoroughbred to be sold in a July 1910 sale at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track but withdrew him because the bidding was not high enough. Richard Carman was also at the auction and purchased a horse called The Turk.[4]

Meridian was bought by New Yorker Richard F. Carman as a three-year old who was eligible to run in the May 13, 1911 Kentucky Derby. Up against a field of seven horses, Meridian started from the fifth post position. A steady contender for most of the race, he was able to outrun a rapidly advancing Governor Gray to earn the win.[1] Racing opportunities were very limited for owners as a result of the Hart-Agnew anti-betting legislation that led to a complete shutdown of racing in New York State in 1911 and 1912.[5] [6] As such, Carman headed north to Canada where at Hamilton, Ontario he ran second in the June 17th Hamilton Derby to the August Belmont Jr. colt Whist.[7] One week later at the same track, Meridian won the National Handicap while setting a new track record for a mile and one-eighth on dirt.[8]

Meridian continued to race until he was six years old before being retired from racing to be used as a breeding stallion by Richard Carman.

Stud career

Richard Carman retired Meridian to his stud farm, called Carmandale, in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1915.[9] His most notable offspring for Carman was the colt Carmandale (b. 1917, out of Daruma) who won the 1919 Whirl Stakes and Wakefield Handicap. Carmandale was a fast runner, but was injured in the Climax Handicap at Havre de Grace Race Track in Maryland on April 21, 1923[10] and had to be euthanized.[11]

Carmandale Stud was destroyed by an October 3, 1922 fire in which Carman lost 15 pregnant broodmares and 10 foals, which amounted to $95,000. Meridian, The Turk and three mares survived the fire because they were housed in a separate barn. The fire was suspected to be arson, due to Richard Carman disrupting the activities of local rum runners.[9]

Carman sold Meridian in 1923 to horse trainer William Garth, who owned Inglecrest Farm in Charlottesville, Virginia.[12] Paul Jones, the winner of the 1920 Kentucky Derby, was also owned by Garth and was kept at the farm.[13] During the late 1920s, Meridian sired Glen Wild (b. 1926), who won the Riggs Handicap and North Shore Handicap. Meridian died in 1935.[14]

Pedigree of Meridian (bay, 1908)

Sire Broomstick b. 1901	Ben Brush b. 1893	Bramble	Bonnie Scotland
			Ivy Leaf
		Roseville	Reform
			Albia
	Elf ch. 1893	Galliard	Galopin
			Mavis
		Sylvabelle	Bend Or
			Saint Editha
Dam Sue Smith ch. 1903	Masetto b. 1888	St. Simon	Galopin
			Saint Angela
		Lady Abbess	Cathedral
			Lady Sophie
	Ethel Lee b. 1894	Whistle Jacket	Hermit
			Fortress
		Marmora	Falsetto
			Marmoset

References

1. New York Times. "Meridian's Kentucky Derby." May 14, 1911.
2. Biographical encyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky. John M. Gresham Co. Publishers, Philadelphia. 1896. pg. 102
3. Meridian Pedigree and Racing Stats
4. New York Times. "The Turk Sold for $7,600." July 5, 1910.
5. "Penalties in the New York Bills". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1908-01-18. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
6. Times, Special To The New York (July 14, 1911). "Race Track Bill Defeated In Senate; Measure Modifying Directors' Liability for Gambling Fails of Passage". Retrieved September 2, 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
7. "Whist Is Derby Winner: Belmont Colt Leads Meridian And Governor Gray To Finish At Hamilton". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1911-06-18. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
8. "Meridian In Grand Form: Successfully Makes Weight Concessions To Good Opponents In Hamilton Stake". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1911-06-25. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
9. The Washington Post. "Fire wipes out Carmandale farm." October 3, 1922.
10. The Washington Post. "Results at Havre de Grace." April 22, 1923.
11. The Washington Post. "Along the Rail with Harry Stringer." March 20, 1924.
12. "Garth buys sire Meridian". Daily Racing Form. February 5, 1923. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
13. Daily Racing Form. "1920 Derby Winner Dead." May 7, 1930.
14. The American Stud Book. The Jockey Club. 1940. p. 979.