“First lady of Maryland racing” and Bethesda resident Sondra Bender passed away Wednesday afternoon after a battle with uterine cancer. She was 78 years old.
Bender is perhaps most known for her dominance of the Maryland Million stakes race held annually at Laurel Park — she is tied atop the owner rankings with five victories and has bred four winners.
Sondra and her husband Howard also owned two horses who competed in Triple Crown races. Southern Appeal finished 13th in the 1986 Kentucky Derby, while Foufa’s Warrior was seventh in the 2003 Preakness Stakes, according to the Maryland Jockey Club’s statement on her passing.
The Benders owned Glade Valley Farm in Frederick. Farm Manager Larry Murray, who has trained for Bender since 1988, called Sondra the first lady of Maryland racing.
“She enjoyed the game and was very classy,” said Murray, who has won 488 races for more than $14 million for the family, according to the jocky club. “She took the bad just as well as the good. They enjoyed it together. It was very rare to see them apart.”
A memorial service will be held at Beth El Synagogue in Bethesda at 10 a.m. Friday morning.
