Serena's Song (foaled April 4, 1992) is an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

race horse ''Race Horse'' was an 1850 clipper barque. She set a record of 109 days from New York to San Francisco during the first Clipper Race around the Horn. Construction ''Race Horse'' was similar to a barque built by Samuel Hall a few years earlier, ...

. She won 17 graded stakes races, including 11

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

(some against males and older mares), in three seasons for $3,286,388 in earnings.

Background

Serena's Song is a smaller than average, but athletically built bay mare. Her sire

Rahy Rahy (February 18, 1985 – September 22, 2011) was a Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who competed in United Kingdom, England and the United States. Background Bred by Hill 'n' Dale Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington, Rahy was a son of ...

was a Grade II winner on turf and Grade I-placed, but was more successful at stud and became notable primarily as a sire of broodmares and racemares. Rahy has also sired 2006 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Dreaming of Anna,

Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...

winner and

European Horse of the Year The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier SA, Cartier. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races (40%) plus the votes cast by British racing journalists (30%) and re ...

Fantastic Light, and the outstanding broodmare

Mariah's Storm Mariah's storm (foaled April 1, 1991, in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred 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 ...

, among other notable horses. Serena's Song's dam Imagining, a daughter of Northfields, won two of her 26 races but became a successful broodmare who also produced Grade III winner Vivid Imagination and graded stakes producers River Saint and Serena's Sister. Serena's Song was bred in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

by Dr. Howard J. Baker.

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

trainer

D. Wayne Lukas Darrell Wayne Lukas (born September 2, 1935, in Antigo, Wisconsin) is a retired American horse trainer and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee. He has won twenty Breeders' Cup races, received five Eclipse Awards for his accomplishments, and his h ...

bought her at the 1993 Keeneland July yearling sale for $150,000 for Eclipse of Merit owners Robert and Beverly Lewis.

Racing career

1994: Two-Year-Old Season

In her two-year-old season, Serena's Song started 10 times and won four races. She also finished second twice and third once while compiling earnings of $597,335. In the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a -mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt (although the distance has varied, depending on the configuration of the host track) for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the Un ...

, she finished second to the undefeated champion

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

by a head. In the

Hollywood Starlet Stakes, she beat Urbane.

1995: Three-Year-Old Season

In 13 starts at age three, Serena's Song won 9. One of her top performances was in the second jewel of the Fillies Triple Crown, the $200,000 Grade 2

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes The George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (known as the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes from 1952 through 2019 and first run as the Pimlico Oaks) is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of mile ...

. That race was run on May 19, 1995, over a mile and one eighth at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of O ...

. Serena's Song beat a field of seven stakes winners, including Conquistadoress and Rare Opportunity. Serena's Song defeated males that year in the Spiral Stakes and the Haskell Stakes. She also defeated older females in the

Beldame Stakes The Beldame Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares three-years-old and up. Inaugurated in 1939, it was run as a handicap prior to 1960. The race is held annually near the beginning of October at Belmont Park and curr ...

. She then won the

American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both ...

award, winning $1,524,920.

1996: Four-Year-Old Season

Serena's Song raced 15 times as a four-year-old and won 5, never coming worse than third, while running at eight different tracks. In May she won the Pimlico Distaff, now called the Allaire duPont Distaff Stakes, on the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

undercard. She also came very close to winning the

Whitney Handicap The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses four years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...

over males, and was second in the

Breeders' Cup Distaff The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic between 2008 and 2012, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United Stat ...

to bring her year's earnings to $1,164,133.

Retirement and Breeding career

Serena's Song was sent to Denali Stud near

Paris, Kentucky Paris is a home rule-class city in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and the county seat. It lies northeast of Lexington on the Stoner Fork of the Licking River. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2020, it ha ...

to become a

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

. She produced 12 foals, 11 that raced, and nine who have won. Among her offspring are: *Serena's Tune - 1998 bay filly by Mr. Prospector - winner of 7 of her 14 starts, including three stakes victories, with career earnings of $337,260. She is the dam of Vocalised (by Vindication), a Group 3 winner in Great Britain and Ireland. Serena's Tune also produced Serena's Cat, an ungraded stakes winner who produced 2015

American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse The title of American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a stallion or gelding, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of ...

Honor Code and Grade 2 winner Noble Tune. Serena's Tune died in 2006. * Sophisticat - 1999 bay filly by

Storm Cat Storm Cat (February 27, 1983 – April 24, 2013) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion whose breeding fee during the peak of his stud career was $500,000, the highest in North America at the time. He was the leading sire in North A ...

- won 3 races in England, France, and Ireland, including the

Coronation Stakes The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlong and 213 yards (1,603 metres), and it is sche ...

. She is the dam of Grade 3 placed Sefroua by Kingmambo, and Grade 1 placed Pursuit of Glory. *Arbitrate - 2000 chestnut colt by

Deputy Minister Deputy minister is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. A deputy minister is positioned in some way "under" a minister, who is a full member of Cabinet, in charge of a particular sta ...

- 5 wins in 33 starts, with stakes placings. He earned $195,390, and is now a stallion in Mexico. *Grand Reward - 2001 bay colt by Storm Cat - 4 wins in North America, England, and Ireland, including the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. He has earnings of $545,844, and entered stud at Hill 'n' Dale in Kentucky, later moving to Ghost Ridge Farm in Felton, Pennsylvania. As of 2018 he is standing at Haras La Quebrada in Argentina. *Harlington - 2002 bay colt by

Unbridled Unbridled (March 5, 1987 – October 18, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired with a career record of eight wins, six places, and six shows in 24 starts, ...

- 6 wins in North America including the Grade 2

Gulfstream Park Handicap The Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (formerly known as the Gulfstream Park Handicap) is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Gulfstream Park each year. The race is open to horses age four and up, willing to race one mile on the dirt. A Grade II event ...

, and earnings of $370,000. He entered stud at Hill 'N' Dale Farm in 2009, and now stands at stud Saudi Arabia. *Pure Symmetry - 2003 chestnut filly by Storm Cat - non winner but placed 2 times in 6 races. She produced the stakes winner High Stakes Player by

A.P. Indy A.P. Indy (March 31, 1989 – February 21, 2020) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic on his way to American Horse of the Year honors in 1992. His time in the Belmont Stakes tied Easy Goer for ...

and stakes runner Miner's Cat by Mineshaft. She also produced Divine Energy by

Tapit Tapit (foaled February 27, 2001, in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won three of his six races, including the Wood Memorial Stakes, then a Graded stakes race, Grade I event. He was an immediate success after retiring to stud, ...

, who is now a stallion in Mexico. *Colourful Score - 2004 Bay Horse by Storm Cat - 1 win in 3 starts, won by 7 lengths in the UAE. *Spark Candle - 2005 Chestnut Horse by

- 9 wins in 22 starts. Raced in USA and Japan, $262,303 *Schramsberg - 2006 Chestnut Horse by Storm Cat - 6 wins at 4 and 5, 2011, $394,626, won Gr.III John B. Connally. Entered stud 2012 at Bar None Farm in Canada. Sire of 2017 Canadian Juvenile Stakes winner Remarkable Vintage. *Stormberg - 2008 Chestnut Colt by Storm Cat - Winner in 7 starts. Entered stud at NexStar Ranch in California in 2015, and moved to Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in 2018. *Night and Day - 2009 Bay Filly by

Unbridled's Song Unbridled's Song (February 18, 1993 – July 26, 2013) was an American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Florida Derby and Wood Memorial. He was the favorite for the 1996 Kentucky Derby but suffered a cr ...

- Ran once as a 2 year old, was unplaced. Dam of graded stakes winner Made You Look. *Serene Melody - 2010 Bay Filly by Street Cry (Ire) - Winner of the Wintergreen Stakes at Turfway Park- Retired, broodmare. *UNNAMED - 2011 Bay Filly by

Medaglia d'Oro The Gold Medal of Military Valor () is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The face of the medal displayed the profile o ...

- Died as a foal. *Gold Serenade - 2014 filly by Medaglia d'Oro - Winless in 6 starts. She has retired and resides at Denali Stud. After her 2014 filly was weaned, Serena's Song was retired from broodmare duties. She still resides at Denali Stud. Serena's Song was inducted into the

in 2002 at age ten.

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist

External links

* "Champions, The Lives, Times, and Past Performances of America's Greatest Thoroughbreds, Revised Edition, Champions from 1893-2004," the

Daily Racing Form The ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) (referred to as the ''Racing Form'' or "Form" and sometimes "telegraph" or "telly") is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of rac ...

Serena’s Song’s pedigree, racing stats, and photo

Serena’s Song in the Hall of Fame
1992 racehorse births Racehorses trained in the United States Racehorses bred in Kentucky United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Eclipse Award winners Thoroughbred family 7