Quest For Fame was a very dark-coated bay horse who was bred by Juddmonte Farms, the breeding organisation of his owner Khalid Abdullah.

In April 1990, Quest For Fame returned to Newbury and recorded his first win when taking the Spring Maiden Stakes by one and a half lengths.

Ridden by the eleven-times champion Pat Eddery, he took the lead over a furlong from the finish and pulled clear to win by three lengths from Blue Stag.

In February, he recorded his first win since the 1990 Derby when defeating Miss Alleged in the Grade III San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita Park[6] In May at Hollywood Park Racetrack, he carried top weight of 124 pounds to victory in the Grade I Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap.

He finished unplaced in the Arlington Million behind Dear Doctor before running in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park in October.

The field also included the three-year-old Dr Devious, meaning that the race featured the first meeting between Epsom Derby winners since Nijinsky defeated Blakeney in the 1970 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Quest For Fame a "poor" Derby winner.