Filly wins Horse of the Year

Rainbow Blue has been named 2004 Horse of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association at ceremonies held Sunday night at Ceasers in Atlantic City. In the closest voting since 1975 when Savoir defeated Silk Stockings 52-49, Rainbow Blue outpolled Trotting Triple Crown winner Windsong's Legacy 119-98.



The 3-year-old daughter of Artiscape is the second filly pacer to win harness racing's top honor in four years and the third filly pacer in history to earn the honor. Bunny Lake was Horse of the Year in 2001 and Fan Hanover was the first pacing filly to do so in 1981.



Owned by Kevin and Ronald Fry's K&R Racing LLC, trainer George Tague Jr. and his sister, Brenda, Rainbow Blue won 20 of her 21 starts last year, taking a mark of 1:49.2 and earning $1,195,000. She was driven by Ron Pierce, who was honored earlier in the evening as this year's Hall of Fame inductee.



For runner-up Windsong's Legacy, it was a familiar result for Trotting Triple Crown winners. Only three of the seven Trotting Triple Crown winners have gone on to be named Horse of the Year. The last was Nevele Pride in 1968.



Winners in seven divisional categories were also announced Sunday night. Those winners were: 2-Year-Old Filly Pacer, Restive Hanover; 2-Year-Old Filly Trotter, Solveig; 3-Year-Old Colt Pacer, Timesareachanging; Older Pacing Horse, Four Starzzz Shark, Older Trotting Horse, Mr. Muscleman; Older Pacing Mare, Loyal Opposition; and Older Trotting Mare, Stroke Play.



Previously announced were 2-Year-Old Colt Pacer, Village Jolt; 2-Year-Old Colt Trotter, Ken Warkentin; 3-Year-Old Colt Trotter, Windsong's Legacy; 3-Year-Old Filly Trotter, Housethatruthbuilt, 3-Year-Old Filly Pacer, Rainbow Blue; Trotter of the Year, Windsong's Legacy; and Pacer of the Year, Rainbow Blue.

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