Hall of Fame

 



life sign

Year of Induction: 
2013
Year of Birth: 
1990
Inducted as a: 
Stallion
Election Into Living Hall of Fame: 
2013
Year of Death: 
2014
Gait: 
Pacer
Record: 
p,3,1:50.3
Earnings: 
$1,912,454
Sire: 
Abercrombie
Dam: 
Three Diamonds
Sire of Dam: 
Albatross
Biography: 

1993 Little Brown Jug and Breeders Crown winner Life Sign was bred by Brittany Farms of Versailles, Kentucky and was foaled on April 30, 1990. The world champion pacer raced in 1992 and 1993, and retired with a summary record of 35-18-10-5. Owned by Hall of Famer George Segal, Life Sign was trained by Immortal Gene Riegle and most often driven by Hall of Famer John Campbell. Life Sign ranks among the top ten moneywinning sires at his gait, with total North American foal earnings of over $111 million.

Two-year-old Life Sign posted impressive wins in the American-National, International Stallion Stake (taking his 1:52.4 freshman record) and Governor's Cup. He finished on the board in 11 of 13 starts with 5 wins and $557,543 in earnings, second among moneywinning two-year-old colt pacers of 1992.

As a three-year-old in 1993, Life Sign finished on the board in all of his 22 starts, with 13 victories and earnings of $1,354,911, third among Standardbreds that year. Life Sign's sophomore campaign included victories in the Art Rooney Pace (stakes and track record), Breeders Crown, Little Brown Jug and Cleveland Classic. In his Jug victory, Life Sign set three Standardbred world records for fastest first heat on a half-mile track (1:52, fastest mile in Jug history), second heat on a half-mile (1:52) and two-heat race on a half-mile (3:44), a record that would stand for nine years.

As a stallion, Life Sign has sired 478 in 1:55, 328 $100,000 winners and 143 $200,000 winners. His seven millionaires include 2002 Horse of the Year Real Desire p,4,1:48.2 ($3,159,814), 1998 Meadowlands Pace winner Day In A Life p,5,1:49.4f ($1,863,602), two-time American-National winner Peruvian Hanover p,4,1:49.4 ($1,852,434), 2002 Pacing Classic winner Life Source p,7,1:48 ($1,844,445), 1998 Two-Year-Old Colt Pacer of the Year in the U.S. and Canada Island Fantasy p,3,1:50.1 ($1,371,525), the still-racing winner of the 2002 Art Rooney Pace, Image Of Dawn p,3,1:50.4 ($1,241,293), and 2003 Two-Year-Old Colt Pacer of the Year in the U.S. and Canada I Am A Fool p,2,1:51.2 ($1,168,312).

Life Sign has sired the dams of more than 1,360 North American starters with earnings of over $84 million and five millionaires, including two-time Milton Stakes winner Loyal Opposition p,4,1:48.4 ($2,640,934) and Breeders Crown champion Village Jolt p,3,1:50.4f ($1,634,220).

Life Sign was exported to Australia in 2005 and stands at Morley Park Stud for owners Steven O'Donaghue and Ross Gange.