Dr. John McKnight reported this afternoon that former two and three-year-old Canadian Filly of the Year Silver Reign passed away today at Northfields Farm.

Dr. McKnight stated that the 23-year-old Kawartha Skipper bay died of natural causes. She was in foal to Jeremes Jet at the time of her passing.

During her racing career in the late '80s, Silver Reign won 42 races and amassed earnings of $766,871. Her impressive bankroll was compiled the hard way, mostly in the Ontario program and prior to the advent of the Gold series and rich Super finals.

Trained by Bud Fritz, Silver Reign won races at a large number of different tracks and is remembered for her grit and durability. She ventured south early in her two-year-old campaign to win an elimination and finish second in the final of the Sweetheart Pace, the first Ontario-sired filly to accomplish this feat competing against the best in North America.

As a broodmare she fared equally as well, producing the winners of over $1.5 million with five performers in 1:55, her most notable offspring being the half mile track specialist Northern Dynasty.

Her family continues to be productive as her sister, Misty Silver, is the grand-dam of this year's good two-year-old filly Northern Duchess p,2,1;55 with earnings of $146,000.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Silver Reign.

(With files from Dr. John McKnight)