Hidden Lake (April 2, 1993 – September 29, 2016) was a Kentucky-bred daughter of stallion Quiet American out of the Round Table mare, Friendly Circle. Slow to mature, she went on to earn 1997 U.S. Champion Older Mare honors.

Career

As a two-year-old, Hidden Lake won only once, in her second start on August 5, 1995, at

Del Mar racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundin ...

. She showed some promise by finishing second in the Maker's Mark Stakes and Anoakia Stakes. She started her three-year-old season with an allowance race win on January 6, 1996, at Santa Anita but then went on a six race losing streak that included third place finishes in the

Santa Anita Oaks Santa Anita Oaks is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to three-year-old fillies willing to race 8.5 furlongs ( miles) on the dirt. The race is a Grade II even ...

and

Las Virgenes Stakes The Las Virgenes Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over the distance of one mile on the dirt scheduled annually in late January or early February at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The eve ...

, both Grade I stakes. She finally earned her first graded stakes win in the grade II

La Brea Stakes The La Brea Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track held annually in late December at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event currently ...

on December 29. At age four, she lost her first four starts of the year while traveling from

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Plantation may refer to: *Oaklawn (Huntsville, Alabama), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) *Oaklawn Plantation (Leon County, Florida) *Oaklawn Plantation (Natchez, Louisiana) The Oaklawn Plantation is a historic pl ...

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

. On May 24, she was shipped to

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

for the Grade II

Shuvee Handicap The Shuvee Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for Filly, fillies and Mare (horse), mares that are three years old or older over a distance of miles on the dirt track scheduled annually in August at Sarato ...

, which she won as an 8.8–1 long-shot by 4 lengths. She followed this up with a win in the Grade I Hempstead Handicap (now known as the Ogden Phipps), then shipped to Saratoga for the

Go For Wand Handicap The Go For Wand Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race established in 1954 for fillies and mares age three and up. Raced in the fall, it is a Grade III race (Grade I before 2010) on dirt at a distance of one mile. Inaugurated in 1954 at ...

on July 27. Hidden Lake went to the early lead but was challenged by Flat Fleet Feet, who moved alongside when they entered the stretch. Flat Fleet Feet looked to have the advantage but Hidden Lake fought back and prevailed by a head. Her jockey,

Richard Migliore Richard Migliore (born March 14, 1964 in Babylon, New York) is a retired American jockey. He now works as a racing analyst for XBTV. He was nicknamed "The Mig," which is a type of Russian fighter jet, for his tenacious style of riding. He lives ...

, called the Go For Wand "one of his most memorable victories", saying, "From the recesses of her heart, Hidden Lake found a way to fight back and win. After the finish line, she actually collapsed from exhaustion. That was how much effort she put into winning that race. She was running on empty and found more to give". It was nearly three months before Hidden Lake was ready to race again, but she returned with a victory 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 curre ...

at Belmont Park on October 17. Shipped back to California for the

Breeders' Cup Distaff The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 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 States or ...

at Hollywood Park, she finished seventh in the last start of her career. She received the Eclipse Award as the American Champion Older Dirt Female Horse of 1997.

Retirement

None of Hidden Lake's seven foals reached her level of success in racing but all made it to the racetrack and four were winners of minor races. With declining fertility, in January of 2009 she was pensioned by owner Robert Evans to

Old Friends Equine Old Friends is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) equine retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). The organization started with one leased paddock and two horses, but now owns 136 acres, Dreamchase ...

Georgetown, Kentucky Georgetown is a home rule-class city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 37,086 at the 2020 census. It is the 6th-largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the seat of its county. It was originall ...

. On September 29, 2016, she was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age.

References

{{Reflist 1993 racehorse births 2016 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Old Friends Equine Retirement Eclipse Award winners