Mariah's Storm
Mariah's storm 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 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.
Background
Mariah's Storm is a very well-bred filly with high racing potential. She was a daughter of Rahy, who also sired 2001 European Horse of the Year Fantastic Light, Noverre, Champion 3-Year-Old in England, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame member Serena's Song and Dreaming of Anna, the 2006 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner. Mariah's Storm's grandsire was the important Blushing Groom, and her damsire was Epsom Derby winner Roberto.Mariah's Storm was trained by the father and son team of Don Von Hemel and Donnie K. The father won the 1994 Ak-Sar-Ben Oaks and the 1995 Falls City Handicap with her and the son the 1993 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, 1994 Arlington Heights Oaks, and in 1995 the Arlington Matron Handicap and the Turfway Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup Stakes.
In 1993, Mariah's Storm was working on building points to qualify for a chance to run in that fall's Breeders' Cup when she fractured her front left cannon bone while running in the Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. When a horse injures her cannon bone, it usually ends her 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.
Full recovery
In September 1993, before the injury 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 fully recovered, she made a return to racing in 1994 and won the Arlington Oaks. In 1995, she won the 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, defeating future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly Serena's Song, also a daughter of Rahy. She then won the Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs and competed in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, where she finished ninth in a ten-horse field.