Toronto, ON (My Sportsbook) - Leading harness horse Muscle Hill posted one final victory Saturday night before he heads off to stallion service. The colt powered to victory in the $617,880 Breeders Crown race for three-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Race Course.
The Canadian track hosted the 26th annual Breeders Crown races for two and three-year-olds. A total of eight championship events were conducted.
Sent off as the 1-20 favorite in the 10 horse field, Muscle Hill paid the minimum price of $2.10 for the win. He was such an overwhelming favorite that wagering was not taken for place or show.
Muscle Hill, starting from the inside post, trailed early in the one-mile trot for three-year-old colts and geldings. He easily moved along the outside to take the lead on the backstretch. Driver Brian Sears had his horse take the lead from Swan For All with more than half the race still to go.
Trained by Greg Peck, Muscle Hill was never challenged as the field went around the final turn and down the stretch. The heavy favorite trotted the mile in 1:54 1/5 and posted a three-length victory over Triumphant Caviar.
Neighsay Hanover was placed third after Swan For All was disqualified to sixth for having trotted inside the pylons. Striking Lindsey was awarded fourth- place and P J Clark was moved to fifth. Finishing seventh was Broadway Bistro followed by Howthehaloareyou, Tom Cango and Hot Shot Blue Chip.
"You're always nervous before a race," noted Muscle Hill's part-owner Jerry Silva. "To finish the year undefeated is amazing. I never had a horse, in all my years of racing, that was undefeated. And he did it. He did it like I knew he would do it."
Muscle Hill notched his 20th consecutive win, including all 12 2009 starts. The winner of the Hambletonian adds $308,940 to his bankroll. The winner of last year's Breeders Crown two-year-old trot has career earnings of more than $3.3 million, with nearly $2.5 million this year.
The colt surpassed the single season earnings mark for harness racing of $2.44 million set last year by three-year-old pacer Somebeachsomewhere. Donato Hanover held the record of $2.33 million for a trotter.
"If you told me two years ago I'd be at the Breeders Crown two years in a row, I would have never guessed it," said winning part-owner Tom Pontone. "We were looking for him to be a good trotter. I believed he is the best trotter I've seen in 25 to 30 years. I can't wait to race one of his offspring. I would love to see him race five more years, but he did what he had to do and now it's time for him to go to stud."
Muscle Hill also won the Kentucky Futurity, World Trotting Derby and Canadian Trotting Derby this year for owners Jerry Silva, TLP Stable, Southwind Farm and Muscle Hill Racing.
Three-year-old pacer Well Said was upset in the $617,880 event for colts and geldings as the even-money favorite. The colt was also making his last start before heading off to Hanover Shoes Farm in Pennsylvania.
The winner of the Little Brown Jug was racing ninth in the 10 horse field. The early pace was set by Carnivore. If I Can Dream, driven by Tim Tetrick, took the lead on the backstretch.
Well Said and driver Ron Pierce began picking off rivals around the turn for home, but found themselves very wide on the final turn. The effort by the favorite proved to be too little as If I Can Dream posted a half-length win over Mr Wiggles.
Finishing third was Vertical Horizon followed by Bay Of Sharks with Well Said fifth.
The time for the mile was 1:51.1.
If I Can Dream returned $11.30, $5.20 and $4.70. Mr Wiggles paid $4.80 and $3.70, and Vertical Horizon paid $14.40 to show.
In the other championship races, 4-5 favorite Yellow Diamond won the $731,158 three-year-old filly pace in a time of 1:51 2/5, Poof Shes Gone took the $617,880 trot for two-year-old fillies in 1:56 3/5, the $617,880 trot for two- year-old colts and geldings went to Pilgrims Taj in a time of 1:57 1/5.
Fancy Filly, driven by Brian Sears, made a late surge to win the $628,178 two- year-old filly pace in 1:53 4/5. Sears followed with a win in the $617,880 three-year-old filly trot with Broadway Schooner in a time of 1:57.
Pierce drove All Speed Rocknroll to an upset victory in the $720,860 pace for two-year-old colts and geldings. The colt edged out 3-5 favorite Sportswriter in a time of 1:52.
The 2010 Breeders Crown will take place on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The five-eighths of a mile oval will be the first to stage all 12 races on one night.
