Trot Insider has learned that award-winning broodmare Art Of Design passed away on Saturday, July 2 at the age of 18.
Bred by Brittany Farms, Art Of Design (Artsplace - Shy Devil) had a limited racetrack career but did win two of her six lifetime starts as a two-year-old and took a mark of 1:57.4 in a New Jersey Sire Stakes Green Acres event at Garden State Park in 2000. She was entered in the 2007 January Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands where Larry Pollard (through agent Tom Shay) purchased her for $40,000. Three months prior, a Camluck yearling filly sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $60,000. That filly was Chancey Lady, who attained millionaire status as a three-year-old and was campaigned to an O'Brien-Award winning sophomore campaign for trainers Casie Coleman and John Pentland. Chancey Lady continued on as a dominant performer for four solid seasons as an older pacing mare. She retired with a mark of 1:48.4f and earnings surpassing $2 million.
Pollard's return mating to Camluck in 2008 resulted in a full sister to Chancey Lady, Camille. While not enjoying the level of success at two and three of her accomplished sister, Camille flourished as an older pacing mare in the care of trainer Ron Burke. She banked more than $1.28 million and her mark of 1:48.3f taken at Tioga Downs equaled the world record for older pacing mares.
Art Of Design's success as a producer was recognized by the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association (SBOA), who honoured Art Of Design with the Pacing Broodmare of the Year Award in 2012.
For years, Art Of Design resided at St. Lad's Farm in Ruscom, Ont. Bob Ladouceur, the owner/operator of St. Lad's told Trot Insider that Art Of Design passed away from heart failure. He noted that she has a son of Bettors Delight on the ground.
As both Chancey Lady and Camille have been retired to the broodmare ranks, Pollard does still own their two-year-old full sister Coco Chanel, and she will continue on the family bloodlines in the broodmare ranks as well.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Art Of Design.