Her breeder and owner was Peter D. Fuller of Runnymede Farm in North Hampton, New Hampshire, the son of former Massachusetts Governor Alvan T. Fuller. Fuller bred his mare Star Mommy to the stallion Top Command, hoping to produce a foal who combined speed and stamina. The result was Mom's Command. The bright chestnut filly was trained by New Jersey-born Ned Allard, whose father was a professor at New York’s Juilliard School of Music. She was ridden in all but two of her races by Peter Fuller’s daughter, Abigail. Abby Fuller, at 26 years of age, became the first womanjockey to ride the winner of a "Triple Tiara" event, and also the first to sweep the three races.
Racing career
1984: two-year-old season
Mom's Command won her first race, the ungraded Faneuil Miss Stakes, in July 1984 at New Hampshire’s Rockingham Park after going off at odds of 44-1. After winning the Faneuil Miss, she appeared in the Grade II Astarita at Belmont Park; she broke from the starting gate five lengths behind the field and came back from last place to win. Following the Astarita, she took the Grade ISelima Stakes by 5½ lengths. Three of her seven starts as a two-year-old had Daily Racing Form "trouble lines" – "steadied at start"; "poor start" and "off poorly". However, she won four of those races.
1985: three-year-old season
As a 3-year-old, Mom's Command dominated her competition, winning seven of her nine starts. In the Test Stakes, she finished second to another star filly, Lady's Secret, by two lengths. She won the stakes which constitute the Filly Triple Crown – the Acorn, the Mother Goose and the Coaching Club American Oaks. She preceded her Triple Crown victories with a 19-length win in the Flirtation Stakes at Pimlico Race Course and a second to the speedy Clocks Secret in the Goldfinch at Garden State Park. In the Goldfinch, she raced on a "dead rail" for nearly the entire distance. She returned to take the Cherry Blossom Handicap at Garden State and the Comely Stakes at Belmont Park. In the Comely, Clocks Secret finished six lengths behind Mom's Command; 11 lengths back was Lady’s Secret. Following her Triple Crown, Mom's Command then won the Grade I Alabama Stakes, leading all the way and defeating Fran's Valentine by four lengths. Fran's Valentine was the betting favorite, since she had won six of seven starts and her jockey was the well-known Chris McCarron; however, the Daily Racing Form notes that Mom's Command was "ridden out". In 1985, Mom's Command won the Eclipse Award as American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. She was the sixth horse to win the Filly Triple Crown. Her five predecessors were Dark Mirage, Shuvee, Chris Evert, Ruffian and Davona Dale. Beside Mom’s Command, only Shuvee also won the Alabama Stakes. The Alabama, run at Saratoga, is the filly counterpart of the Grade I Travers Stakes. Every filly who ever beat Mom's Command was then defeated by Mom's Command. She won at distances ranging from five furlongs to 1½ miles. Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. once said to Peter Fuller: "I love Mom's Command and I love your daughter Abby, but I'm sick of looking at both of their rear ends."
Retirement
Mom's Command was retired on September 29, 1985, after she injured her ankle while training for the Rare Perfume Stakes at Belmont Park. Her career earnings were $902,972. She foaled one stakes winner, Jonesboro. On February 3, 2007, Mom's Command was euthanized at Runnymede Farm at age 25, due to the infirmities of old age; she is buried on the farm.
