Anonymous caller says stallion in Montegiorgio

Equinox Bi, who was kidnapped from the Biasuzzi farm near Padua, Italy, in early November, may have been found near the town of Montegiorgio, about four hours from the farm. A horse that appears to be Equinox Bi was indeed found at the location identified by an anonymous caller.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the horse was believed to be Equinox Bi, but had not yet been positively identified.

Equinox Bi, who won this year's Breeders Crown and Maple Leaf Trotting Classic, was scheduled to begin a career as a sire at Blue Chip Farms in New York next February before he was kidnapped from the Gina Biasuzzi Farm. The 6-year-old stallion was the fourth trotter of renown to be kidnapped in Italy in the past 10 years. About two years ago Lemon Dra was kidnapped and that horse has never been found.

Equinox Bi was bred by the Biasuzzi family and trained at their farm in northern Italy by Jan Nordin.

Equinox Bi came to the US this summer and competed at the Meadowlands and Mohawk. He finished second in the Nat Ray on Hambletonian Day, then won the Breeders Crown and Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk in September. He earned $774,348 in purses in North America this year, giving him a career bankroll of $1.3 million.

Equinox Bi carries a royal American pedigree. His sire, Valley Boss Bi, is a full brother to Valley Victory. His dam, Personal Banner, raced for George Steinbrenner in the US and was sold to the Biasuzzis before she won the Breeders Crown as a 3 year old. Personal Banner hails from the family of the great Delmonica Hanover.

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