Muscle Hill Looking Like Best Trotter Ever
Colt Produces Easy Win at Kentucky Futurity Before Final Bow
Oct 16, 2009
The great ones are special: they filter through many numbers of their kind to stand out and accomplish the unthinkable, and challenge their human masters to invent new heights to conquer. Such a one is Muscle Hill, a talented trotting son of Muscles Yankee.
Once beaten -- a second place finish in his first start as a two-year-old -- Muscle Hill dismissed his rivals in The Red Mile Kentucky Futurity in a one-day, two-heat flurry in which he raced the final heat in 1:51.1, completely dominating his peers in a wire-to-wire exhibition.
Trainer Greg Peck Speaks
"Life is all about expectations," said Muscle Hill's trainer, Greg Peck, after the colt's convincing double heat score. Peck spoke to interviewers and was quoted in The Horseman and Fair World magazine's October 7 issue in Gordon Waterstone's article, "Muscle Hill Takes Kentucky Futurity".
Peck continued: "...he's at 1-9 and...he has to do it convincingly...twice in one day". Simply because everyone thought Muscle Hill would win, Peck indicated, the colt had to be great to satisfy fans at The Red Mile for the 117th edition of the $600,000 Kentucky Futurity, where many greats have danced.
From the time Peck first saw Muscle Hill trot, he says, he "used to snicker to myself 'look at how this thing can go...' " Now, Peck grins after the colt's 19th straight triumph, and comments on what other people are saying -- "he's the greatest trotter they've ever seen".
Driver Brian Sears Gives His View
"We didn't get the weather," said Muscle Hill's driver, Brian Sears, "but I had total confidence..." Extremely windy conditions was the only thing holding Muscle Hill back from another record smashing day, according to Sears.
The ecstatic driver explained that he hasn't had "to chase him (Muscle Hill)" since the colt's stunning performance in the 2008 Breeders Crown when he got after him for that great victory. He praises Muscle Hill's mental ability, describing the colt as "smart and relaxed" and knowing "what we're trying to accomplish out there".
Final Heat Finish of Kentucky Futurity
- Muscle Hill -- (Sears) -- post position 1 -- finish 1st
- Explosive Matter -- (Ron Pierce) -- 4 -- 2nd, by 2-1/2 lengths
- Tom Cango -- (Tim Tetrick) -- 7 -- 3rd, by 10 lengths
- Broadway Bistro -- (George Brennan) -- 6 -- 4th, by 10-1/2 lengths
- Neighsay Hanover -- (Trond Smedshammer) -- 3 -- 5th, by 12 lengths
- Dr. McDreamy -- (Homer Hochstetler) -- 5 -- 6th, by 14-1/2 lengths
- Hot Shot Blue Chip -- (Mike LaChance) -- 8 -- x7th, by x27-1/2
- Big Bikkies -- (Jim Morrill Jr.) -- 2 -- 8th, by 69-1/2 lengths
Russell Hill and Airzoom Lindy were scratched from the race.
Muscle Hill Will Go To Stud
Muscle Hill trotted to a world record time in last year's Breeders Crown, going faster than the three-year-old division winner. This year he is undefeated in seven starts that include a world-record-equaling all age victory in August's Hambletonian at 1:50.1, September's World Trotting Derby, and now the Futurity, with just the Breeders Crown at Woodbine October 17th and 24th left on his conqueror's agenda.
The colt, owned by Jerry Silva and Tom Pontone, will be retired to stud at Southwind Farm after the Breeders Crown. His Futurity win pushed his lifetime track earnings to $2,973,342.
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