AQHA Race SI-95/AAA/ROM/Superior/SW, 76-24-18-10, $28,311.
Won: 1959 Bright Eyes Stakes, Buttons and Bows Stakes, 1958 CL Maddons Bright Eyes Handicap
American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
Dam of 5 AQHA foals, 4 AAAT, 1 AAA, 2 Champions, 2 Hall of Fame inductees (Jet Smooth and Easy Jet), 1 AQHA Champion (Jet Smooth), Race Champion-producing daughter, Delta Rose.
Lena's Bar was bred and owned her entire life by Walter Merrick. When Lena’s Bar was born, New Mexico was the only state allowing Thoroughbreds to run in major Quarter Horse races. However, Thoroughbreds were still prohibited from entering Quarter Horse futurities. Therefore, Merrick did not start conditioning Lena’s Bar for racing until she was three years old.
For five years, Lena’s Bar dominated tracks across New Mexico. In 1957, she won four starts, earned her AAA rating, and equaled the track record at Albuquerque for 400 yards in 20.300 seconds. As a four-year-old, Lena’s Bar won four more races including the C. L. Maddon’s Bright Eyes Handicap and Buttons and Bows Stakes. She also placed third in the Shue Fly Stakes.
At age five, Lena’s Bar had her best year of racing. She won the Bright Eyes Stakes and set new track record at Sunland Park for 350 yards in 17.900 seconds. She ran her greatest race on August 16th, 1959, in the Miller Motel Allowance at Ruidoso Downs. In that race, she defeated four AQHA Champions – Go Man Go, Double Bid, Vandy’s Flash and Vanetta Dee. Lena’s Bar continued racing until she was seven years old. She retired sound. In total, Lena’s Bar made 76 starts, won 24 races, and earned $28,311, the equivalent of about $285,000 today.
In 1962, Lena’s Bar joined Merrick’s broodmare band. She produced five foals - Double Dancer, Delta Rose, Jet Smooth, Mayflower Ann and Easy Jet. The year after Easy Jet was born, Lena’s Bar died from a bladder infection. She was only 14 years old. Lena’s Bar was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2003.