New York Owner/Breeder Lynn Dies at 86

New York owner/breeder Anne Margaret (Dooher) Lynn, the widow of William "Bill" Lynn who together bred grade 1 winner Wicked Strong, died Feb. 2 in her home in Naples, Fla. She was 86. The Lynns got involved in Thoroughbred racing in 1998 when they bought their first racehorse—a $50,000 filly by Lost Code purchased during the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale through trainer Richard O'Connell. Named Civilynn, the filly won at 2 and ran third in the 1998 Miss Grillo Stakes (G3T). She got injured after her first start at 3 and was retired. Civilynn also became the Lynns' first broodmare, according to a 2014 article by The Post-Standard in Syracuse, N.Y. Since then, the Lynns enjoyed modest success as owners with 19 trips to the winner's circle out of 155 races and collected more than $932,000 in earnings. They would celebrate their biggest successes as breeders. Out of a modest winner they raced named Moyne Abbey, the Lynns bred 2014 Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner Wicked Strong, who would also place in three other grade 1 stakes, including seconds the 2014 Travers Stakes (G1) and 2015 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), for Centennial Farms. Wicked Strong earned nearly $2 million and stood at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington for five years and then four years at Pin Oak Lane Farm in Pennsylvania before he was pensioned in 2024. Moyne Abbey produced three other winners for the Lynns, including homebred winner Abbey Street who won nearly $108,000 while racing. The Lynns would later sell Moyne Abbey for $1 million to Reynolds Bell Jr. during Fasig-Tipton's 2014 The November Sale. Bell bought her on behalf of Colts Neck Stables. The Lynns celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary before Bill died in November 2020 after being struck by a tractor trailer while crossing a street in their hometown of Skaneateles, N.Y. Anne Lynn was the first-born child of Margaret and George Dooher and grew up in the Tipperary Hill neighborhood in Syracuse, along with her four siblings. She was a graduate of St. Patrick's High School (class of 1955) and LeMoyne College (class of 1960). Lynn was an avid bridge player with two long-standing groups, one of them self-identified as the "Mixed Nuts." She also enjoyed golf, book clubs, concerts, shows and lectures, with her friends in Skaneateles and Naples. According to her family, she regularly stressed that one of the most important gifts they could give to one another is to always "show up," especially when needed. Lynn is survived by daughters, Patricia Lynn-Ford (Steven Ford) and Theresa Lynn (Alan Sahatjian), sons, William (Jeanette Lombardi), Thomas (Leslie), Timothy (Cynthia) and Martin (Tara), grandchildren, Daniel Ford (Olivia), Eileen Ford, Emma Ford, Abigail Lynn, Katherine Lynn, Aubreah Lynn, Fallon Lynn, Andrew Sahatjian, William Sahatjian, Steven Sahatjian, Joseph Lynn, Sarah Lynn, John Lynn, Mary Grace Lynn, Casey Lynn, Anne Lynn, Luke Lynn, Dawson Lynn, William Lynn, Jane Lynn and George ("Duke") Lynn, and great-grandchildren, Harper Nolan and Anastasia Ford, brothers Michael Dooher and George Dooher, and many nieces and nephews, friends and relations. She was predeceased by her brother, James Dooher, and sister, Sara (Dooher) Edick. Calling hours will be held Feb. 6 at St. Mary's of the Lake Church at 4-7 p.m. A funeral mass will be held Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Anne M. Lynn '60 Scholarship Fund at LeMoyne College, Le Moyne College Advancement, P.O. Box 527, Syracuse, N.Y.