Hall of Fame

 



guy 'sonny' antonacci

Year of Induction: 
2000
Year of Birth: 
1930
Immortal: 
Yes
OwnerBreeder: 
Yes
Owner: 
Yes
Election Into Living Hall of Fame: 
1999
Year of Death: 
2001
Biography: 

Guy "Sonny" Antonacci, raised in Lindenhurst, New York, cited nearby Roosevelt Raceway, former capital of the harness racing world, as the reason he became a fan of the sport.

In the mid-1960s, Sonny, his cousin Frank J. Antonacci and other family members, the Lomanginos, formed Lindy's Farm, taking the stable name from their Hambletonian and Triple Crown winner Lindy's Pride 3,1:57.3 ($396,209). Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, this great racehorse won the Trotting Triple Crown in 1969 and was named Trotter of the Year. He went on to sire two world record-holding sons, Lindy's Crown 4,1:54.4 ($262,048) and Cornstalk 3,1:53.4 ($146,511).

When "Sonny," as he was affectionately known, and his family moved to the Somersville, Connecticut countryside in the 1970s, he launched Lindy Farms of Connecticut.

One of the first mares Sonny owned was A. C.'s Nancy. She was the granddam of Probe 3,1:54.3 ($436,812), the 1989 Hambletonianj dead heat winner (with Park Avenue Joe). In partnership with others, Guy Antonacci was responsible for no fewer than four Hambletonian winners: as Lindy Farms of Conn., Lindy's Pride (1969) and Probe (1989); and as Lindy's Racing Stable, Harmonious (1990) 3,1:53.2 ($1.036 million), who was also 1990 Trotter of the Year; and Victory Dream (1994) 3,1:53.2 ($1.017 million). Another top performer Sonny owned was Lindy Lane 3,1:53 ($895,110), who almost gave him a fifth Hambletonian title in the 1996 event, with a second-place finish.

Lindy Racing, under the direction of Guy's sons Gerald and Frank, is a co-owner of two-time Horse of the Year Moni Maker 7,1:52.1 ($5.589 million), who retired in 2000 the richest Standardbred of all time. An international trotting star, Moni Maker captured races all over the world, including the Breeders Crown, Nat Ray, Trot Mondial, Prix de France, Elitlopp and Prix d'Amerique.

Guy Antonacci was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. He passed away the following year at the age of 71.

Published in the Harness Racing Museum's "The 2001 Immortals" (2002)