Grand Circuit stakes winner and broodmare Thong passed away at the age of 20.

Winbak Farm has reported that Thong, p, 2, 1:53.3s; 3, 1:50.2 ($722,316), died from foaling complications on Feb. 24. 

“Thong was a talented racehorse and a productive broodmare,” said Jack Burke, General Manager at Winbak Farm. “She also had a sweet personality and was a great mare to be around.”

Thong was bred by Stonegate Standardbred Farms of Glen Gardner, New Jersey. As a racehorse, she earned 10 wins with four seconds and five thirds from 39 starts. 

Trained by A. Toby Lynch Jr. at age two, Thong earned $349,154. She won the Debutante Stakes in her career debut at The Meadowlands and was victorious in the Eternal Camnation and an elimination of the Shes A Great Lady Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack. She was second in the Shes A Great Lady final and a division of the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk and finished third in an elimination for the Matron Stakes at Dover Downs as well as the Molly Pitcher Stakes at Freehold Raceway.

As a three-year-old, Thong earned $352,262 while trained by Kevin Lare. She won the Fan Hanover Stakes Consolation at Mohawk, an elimination and the final of the Lismore Stakes at Yonkers Raceway, the Tarport Hap Stakes and a elimination of the Mistletoe Shalee Stakes at The Meadowlands, and a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at The Meadows. She was second in a division of the Helen Dancer Memorial at Freehold and third in an elimination of the Fan Hanover Stakes at Mohawk as well as an elimination heat of the Jugette at Delaware County Fair.

Thong was purchased by Winbak Farm at the 2015 Standardbred Horse Sale and resided at the Maryland farm.

“Thong stood out to us in the Harrisburg Mixed Sale catalogue due to her talents on the track and the productivity she had already showed with the foals she had already having success on the track,” said Joe Thomson, owner of Winbak Farm. “She continued to be a successful producer and produce good looking foals year after year.”

From 10 foals of racing age, her offspring includes six-figure earners Cheekie, p, 3, 1:52.3s ($149,917), High And Tight, p, 2, 1:53f ($131,037), and V String, p, 2, 1:52.3f ($108,991). She is the grand-dam of Secret Side Piece, p, 1:50.4f -'23 ($234,662), Brazen Brazilian, p, 1:51.2 -'23; BT1:50 ($202,969), and The Good Doctor, p, 1:50.1f -'24; BT1:49.4f-'24 ($189,049).

Thong’s final foal, a Bettors Delight filly, has been placed with another mare and is doing well.

“Thong will be missed,” said Burke. “She has a great looking Pebble Beach yearling, named Speedo King, that we will sell in the fall, and a 2025 Bettors Delight filly that is a beautiful and athletic foal.”

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

(With files from Winbak Farm; photo of broodmare Thong in 2017 with her Art Major filly Kitty Hoyne)