The Raceway at the Western Fair District celebrated the achievements of longtime horseman Mac Lilley in a trackside Wall Of Fame induction ceremony on Friday night (May 12) in London, Ont.

Lilley was joined by a large gathering of family and friends for the presentation made by The Raceway’s Director of Racing, Greg Blanchard, prior to the evening’s featured seventh race.

“It’s pretty important to me; I never expected it,” said Lilley of joining the track’s prestigious Wall of Fame. “It means a lot to have the respect of your peers.”

Lilley, who owns and operates his farm just west of London, dove into the business in the early 1970s with the purchase of his first stallion, Zip Tar, and has not looked back. Since then, his farm has stood some 47 stallion including Super Wave, Springfield, Bo Knows Jate, Whosurboy, Rambaran and Warrawee Needy, just to name a few.

Lilley was one of the first to offer a version of fractional ownership in the ‘70s and also leased and operated the Hawkinsville Training Centre in Georgia for 12 years in the late 1980s.

Mac and his wife Ann have five sons and a daughter, 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren, most of whom are involved in the family farm in one way or another.

Mac Lilley Farms is one of three Ontario Standardbred farms that will be hosting an Open House on Mother’s Day this Sunday (May 14). Their event, which will also promote the 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada, will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

(Standardbred Canada)