Trot Insider has learned that millionaire pacing mare Illusionist has passed away at the age of 25.

A daughter of Camluck-Mollie Hanover, Illusionist retired from her racing career with a solid record of 43-19-22 in 140 career starts and earnings totalling $1,006,807. She earned her 1:50 speed badge against open company at Mohawk Racetrack. At the time of her retirement, she held the older pacing mare track record at Clinton Raceway, Flamboro Downs and Woodstock Raceway as well as the three-year-old pacing filly track standard at Hanover Raceway and Hiawatha Horse Park.

Owned by Dave Lumdsen of Dundas, Ont., Illusionist made headlines after her racing career with the story of the mare and her 2014 foal — her third and final foal — each surviving life-threatening circumstances in January of that year. The story of the ordeal, penned by Keith McCalmont and published in TROT Magazine, won the award for Best Magazine Article at the 2015 International Media Awards. A 2014 story on Illusionist and her foal published in the Toronto Star was the paper's most liked front page story of that year.

The heart-warming tale of Illusionist and her foal, Magical Albert, also spurred Dave's wife, Renata Lumsden to pen two well-received books: The Bounty of Illusionist: The inspirational story of a champion racehorse and her foals in 2017 and Magical Albert: How a Preemie Foal Changed One Couple’s Definition of Family Forever in 2020. 

"The bounty of Illusionist included a farm that 'Lusi' built where her foals, and their foals thrived and blossomed under the wonderful care of Darlene and Derrick Hayes and many caring grooms over the years," said Renata in a Facebook post on Thursday. "She surprised us in her racing career by earning over a million dollars. She surprised us in her broodmare chapter with three beautiful foals. She surprised us with a kind eye, nicker, and the quiet life lessons she taught since she joined us in 2004. She led us on an unexpected journey, and the end was unexpected and too quick. Immortalized now with her racing history, her descendants, and two books about her life, Illusionist left a positive stamp on harness racing, us, and all who knew her. We give thanks for the unforgettable bounty of Illusionist."

Magical Arthur, a seven-year-old son of Artspeak from Lido Magic — Illusionist's first foal — won for the Lumsdens on Thursday, Oct. 15 at Flamboro Downs, getting up to win a conditioned race by a nose in 1:54.3.

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