Muscle Hill Sets Speed Records in Hambletonian
Driver Brian Sears Also Took Oaks -- Well Said Goes Third in Adios
Aug 9, 2009
Muscles Yankee son Muscle Hill has come away from his two-year-old promise as the ultimate sophomore professional. He extended well tuned muscles to gain the immediate lead at the pylons from the No.1 gate in the 84th edition of the Hambletonian August 8 and never relinquished control, tying the 1:50.1 world record, and making driver Brian Sears a multiple winner in the weekend's Hambletonian events.
Before driving to triumph in Standardbred's premier trotting event, Sears helped Broadway Schooner to victory in the $783,042 Hambletonian Oaks, the counterpart trot for three-year-old fillies.
Well Said Couldn't Hang On in Adios
In an eventful week prior to the $1.5 million Hambletonian, North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace champion Well Said couldn't hold off the stretch charge put together by Vintage Master in the $677,665 Delvin Miller Adios pace.
Without benefit of a pre-race post position pick, Well Said drew the nine hole, but he still gained a comfortable lead that appeared as though it would hold up. Well Said was competing in a sixth straight week.
Daniel Dube drove the son of Western Ideal to just his second career win in over twenty tries. Mr. Wiggles, pulling Corey Callahan, also ran down Well Said's early lead to land second.
Sears Gets Two Wins at Hambo
Sears got an exciting warm up on the three-year-old filly Hambo undercard in the Oaks as he was able to hold on with Broadway Schooner to beat out mild favorite Elusive Desire, guided by Paul McDonell, and Raising Rachel, with Jack Moiseyev on the cart, in a 1:54 blanket finish.
Sears actually wasn't certain of the outcome, thinking he may have lost to Raising Rachel at the wire before he heard the results of the photo finish announced.
Margarita Momma, with Ron Pierce in the bike, also closed well to fashion her fourth place effort just shy of the leaders.
Broadway Schooner is a Pine Chip foal, out of mare Pine Schooner. She is owned by Arlene and Jules Siegel, who also bred her. The Oaks was Broadway Schooner's fourth career victory.
Sears barely had time to let the win sink in before he scored his first Hambletonian victory with heavily favored Muscle Hill.
Muscle Hill Led Wire to Wire
Muscle Hill trainer Greg Peck chose the one post for his schoolee because it's the best spot from which to control a race, he claimed after winning his first Hambletonian "...when Brian steps on the gas he's like a sports car that just goes into overdrive..." Peck told interviewers and a national television audience in describing Muscle Hill's smashing Hambletonian score.
Approaching the stretch in the race, Explosive Matter and Ron Pierce gave mild chase, but actually signalled Muscle Hill to a driving charge from the lead that pushed him six lengths to the front, where he remained unreachable in the nine-horse field. John Campbell, looking to increase his record six Hambo victories, got Calchips Brute to third.
Muscle Hill increased his dominance to thirteen wins in his last fourteen races for owners Jerry Silva, T L P Stable, Southwind Farm, and Muscle Hill Racing. The colt topped the $1 million mark for earnings on the season, and boosted his career bankroll to over $1.8 million.
Hambletonian Wagering Third Largest in History
A wagering pool of $8.3 million was cast on Hambletonian day, the third largest in the race's history behind 2005's $9 million and 2002's $8.8 million.
A buzzing crowd of 25,754 attended the event to watch Muscle Hill extend his legacy, and they weren't disappointed. His world record speed matched that of Donato Hanover and Giant Diablo, as well as Lucky Jim, who had tied the mark almost unnoticed in an earlier race during the day.
