Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Bunny Lake & Windsong's Legacy Honored at the Big M
November 19, 2004

Bunny Lake, the second richest female pacer of all time with $2,843,476 in career earnings, was feted after the first race on Friday night, Nov 19.

Trained by John Stark Jr. and owned by Wendy and Skip Spring and Stark, the six-year-old daughter of Precious Bunny - Lake Nona won 47 of her 93 career starts, with a mark of 1:49.

The Springs and Stark made the decision after the mare's race on Oct 9 at the Red Mile.

"She wasn't walking the way we would have liked," Wendy Spring said. "When she crossed the wire fourth, we knew. The original plan was for her to go to Walnut Hall and relax for several months there, then come back next year. But she told us it was time--time for her to be a mommy."

Bunny Lake captured the Mistletoe Shalee and Tarport Hap as a three-year-old in 2001. She went on to win 2002 Classic Series Final and was second in both the 2004 & 2003 Breeders Crown Mares Pace.

Windsong's Legacy, whose $1.7 million in earnings this year was a single-season record for a trotter of any age, was honored after the first race on Saturday night, Nov 20.

Trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer, Windsong's Legacy became the first Trotting Triple Crown winner since Super Bowl (1972) when he captured the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands, the Yonkers Trot and the Kentucky Futurity. In addition, the three-year-old son of Conway Hall was victorious in the Goodtimes, Stanley Dancer and the Canadian Trotting Classic.

Windsong's Legacy ended his career with a record of 10 wins, two seconds and four thirds in 17 starts and a bankroll of $1,744,644. He will stand at Perretti Farms in New Jersey.

"I think his best race was either the Goodtimes Final or the Kentucky Futurity," Smedshammer said. "There is respect for him, but I think it might grow as time goes on and people realize what he accomplished."