Columbus, OH — Virginia “Ginger” Pack Young, 87, died May 21, 2023.

She was born Dec. 6, 1935, in Milford, Del. An all-around horsewoman, she was a breeder, owner, trainer and race official and one of the first “Starfish” participants.

Always a lover of horses she didn’t acquire her first broodmare until the 1970s when she acquired Anne Fogarty (dam of Carlisle’s Design, a $95,000 winner) in partnership with Carl Dugan.

This would lead to the purchase of Sugar Frosting at the First State Sales Company as a yearling. While the filly didn’t set the track on fire her second foal was Crown Wood, a double gaited Speedy Crown winner of $629,835 on the trot with a record of 1:57.4 and $54,970 on the pace earning a record of 1:59.4 as a 4-year-old. The partnership sold the mare in foal and the result of that would be Baltic Speed (Speedy Somolli) 3,1:56 and earnings of over $1.2 million.

Her first professional trainer was the late Hall of Famer Sanders Russell. When he retired, she never had the same feeling and relationships with those who followed, and she became the trainer of record although she credits Per Eriksson with getting Whip It Wood trotting in the right direction.

With the creation of Woodwycke Farm, along came her homebred Whip It Wood (Yankee Bambino) who she sold as a yearling for $3,500 and purchased back for $4,500 because he was too good looking to let go at that price. While he raced at two, his most successful years were as a 6- and 7-year-old, capped by winning the $100,000 American Trotting Championship at Roosevelt Raceway in 1987 in rein to Sonny Patterson. A European trip followed with races in Sweden, Finland, and Germany. He retired with earnings of over $500,000 and a record at 6 of 1:56.4. He passed away in 1995 while standing stud.

She then began the life of a racing official, starting in 1993 at Delmarva Downs. This was followed by a long stint as paddock judge at Harrington and Dover Downs from 1999-2007. She often was a substitute at Ocean Downs and Rosecroft in several capacities.

When Ellen Harvey of the USTA created the “Starfish” rehoming program for Standardbreds found in kill pens, Ms. Young was the first volunteer to rehab the acquisitions. To quote Ellen, the tougher the cases, the more excited she was to rehab them and give them a life they deserved.

A race will be held in Ms. Young’s honor at Harrington Raceway on June 21 (ninth race).