She will appear to be a plain bay mare, but appearances can certainly be deceiving in this case.

Her name is Bunny Lake and she was voted Horse of the Year in 2001 by the U.S. Harness Writers’ Assn. She retired after the 2004 season with 47 wins in 93 career starts and a bankroll of $2,843,476.

She is being sold in foal to Rocknroll Hanover by her owners, Wendy and Skip Spring of Johnstown, N.Y. and trainer John Stark, Jr.

“I will be there at the sale with my daughter Caitlyn, and just as soon as the sale is final, I will be leaving,” Wendy Spring said. “I realize that it will be difficult for me on that day, but in life change is inevitable and a very big part of this business. We enjoy the racing end and have never seriously considered breeding.”

Bunny Lake has been boarded at Perretti Farms in New Jersey and delivered her first foal, a bay filly by Western Hanover earlier this year. The weanling is registered under the name Bunny’s Legacy.

Husband Skip Spring, who will be on a hunting trip in Montana when Bunny Lake goes under the auctioneer’s gavel, added, “There will never be another ‘Bunny,’ but we are looking forward to raising and training Bunny’s Legacy. Should be fun!”

The Springs and trainer-driver Stark certainly had fun following Bunny Lake on the track and they made it fun for many harness racing fans by racing her over many different tracks.

The daughter of Precious Bunny achieved prominence in the New York Stakes as a freshman, winning eight of her dozen starts and banking $281,255. Her career would only get better from there.

As a 3-year-old, Bunny Lake was almost unbeatable, winning 19 of 21 starts with two seconds and putting $1,146,219 in the bank. She paced to a 1:51s mark at Woodbine and her exploits earned her honors as Horse of the Year.

She then graduated into the ranks of the open mares and found herself facing the best in North America, including the tigress Eternal Camnation. She earned $400,049 as a 4-year-old, $531,134 as a 5-year-old, and $484,819 as a 6-year-old. She took her career mark of 1:49 in her 89th career start, rolling right down the pike at Woodbine to win the Roses Are Red by open lengths.

Wendy Spring said she already feels the same emotional bond to Bunny’s Legacy that she has for the great mare herself.

“I had the pleasure recently of hugging sweet, lil’ Bunny’s Legacy, and for some maternal reason, I was able to transfer my love for Bunny over to her filly,” she said. “That has made it much easier for me to part with Bunny Lake.”

Bunny Lake is certain to be coveted by major North American breeders, and the bidding should be exciting when she walks into the ring. In 1998, Continentalvictory, the ’96 Horse of the Year, went through the Harrisburg auction for $760,000.

Wendy Spring said “Hopefully, Bunny Lake will have a good home and we can continue to love her from afar.”

by Dean A. Hoffman Courtesy of The US Trotting Association Web Newsroon