by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

The 4-year-old mare Unicka, who last year won the Italian Trotting Derby and was the best trotter in her crop and the 3- year-old colt Vampire Dany have been kidnapped from the stables of trainer Erik Bondo in Tuscany during the night.

Gerard Forni photo

Unicka has earnings of more than $500,000.

As Bondo arrived around 6 a.m. this morning to feed his trotters, he found that Unicka and Vampire Dany were missing from their stalls at the Scuderia Wave, who owns not only the farm, but also the two top trotters.

So far, no ransom has been demanded.

Unicka (sired by Love You) has raced 15 times and won 13 races. Besides the Italian Trotting Derby she has won the prestigious Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli and has earnings of more than $500,000.

Erik Bondo had planned to return her to racing later this month.

Vampire Dany (sired by Conway Hall) raced eight times, winning six races, among them the biggest race for Italian 2-year-olds, the Gran Criterium. He is considered as one of the favorites for the Italian Trotting Derby later this year.