Hall of Fame

 



classic wish

Year of Induction: 
2004
Year of Birth: 
1990
Inducted as a: 
Broodmare
Immortal: 
Yes
Elected as Immortal: 
2011
Election Into Living Hall of Fame: 
2004
Year of Death: 
2011
Gait: 
Pacer
Record: 
p,3,T1:52
Earnings: 
$436,273
Sire: 
Armbro Emerson
Dam: 
Best Of The Best
Sire of Dam: 
Albatross
Biography: 

As the dam of Bettor's Delight, winner of $2,581,461 and Triple Crown winner and 2003 Horse of the Year No Pan Intended, broodmare Classic Wish was automatically elected a member of the Living Horse Hall of Fame.

A foal of 1990, Classic Wish was a daughter of Armbro Emerson out of Best Of The Best by Albatross. Initially named Daylon Mystery, she was bred by Mary and David Lemon of Komoka, Ontario and purchased as a yearling for $25,000 in the 1991 Canadian Classic. Owned at the time by John Grant and trained by Scott McEneny, pacer Classic Wish's racing career was noteworthy. Her career earnings were $436,273, with 144 starts, 26 wins, 21 seconds and 18 third place finishes. As a three-year-old, she took a mark of 1:52 in a time trial at Lexington's Red Mile. Her wins included numerous Ontario Sire Stakes, the Canadian Breeders Championship, as well as five Open Mare events at age four and five.

Classic Wish was retired from racing and purchased by Winbak Farms in 1997. Her first foal, in 1998, was Bettor's Delight p,3,1:49.4. Sired by Cam's Card Shark, Bettor's Delight was purchased from Winbak Farms by John Grant and trained by Scott McEneny. Usually driven by Mike Lachance, he won 15 out of 26 lifetime starts, banking $2.58 million and was awarded both two- and three-year-old pacing colt divisional honors. His wins in 2000, as a two-year-old, included the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace. the Governor's Cup and the Nassagaweya. The following year, as a three-year-old, he took the North America Cup, Little Brown Jug, New Jersey Classic, Simcoe and Tattersalls. In 2002 Bettor's Delight was retired and now stands at Blue Chip Farms, Wallkill, New York.

Classic Wish's third foal, in 2000, was No Pan Intended p,3,1:50.3. Sired by Pacific Fella and originally named Pacific Wish, he was purchased by Peter Pan Stables for $150,000 at the Tattersalls yearling sales in 2001. Trained by Ivan Sugg and driven by David Miller, No Pan Intended took the pacing Triple Crown in 2003 by winning the Cane Pace, Little Brown Jug and Messenger Stake. Other significant wins included the Breeders Crown, Art Rooney Pace, Tattersalls, Windy City and James B. Dancer Memorial. His career earnings total $1.58 million.

Both Bettor's Delight and No Pan Intended won the Little Brown Jug, making Classic Wish only the third broodmare to have two foals win the Jug. This marked the first time this achievement had been accomplished in 47 years.

Classic Wish passed away in 2011.

 Winbak Farm, MD

Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 2004 Souvenir Journal