Muscle Hill’s next start will be in Breeders Crown

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Muscle Hill’s next start will be in Breeders Crown

Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ --- “No chance.”

That’s how trainer Greg Peck summed up the likelihood that Muscle Hill might race again at the Red Mile this weekend in an attempt to break the current all-age world record of 1:50.1 for the trotting mile (on a mile oval). Muscle Hill co-owns the record with Lucky Jim, Donato Hanover and Giant Diablo.

His next start will be the Breeders Crown elimination (if needed) on October 17 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, with finals on October 24. Muscle Hill has won all 11 of his races this year and earned $2.1 million. He has won 19 consecutive races since finishing second in his career debut and earned $2.9 million lifetime.

Muscle Hill’s wins this year include the Hambletonian, the Canadian Trotting Classic and the World Trotting Derby. Last weekend, he won the $600,000 Kentucky Futurity in straight heats at the Red Mile. He defeated Explosive Matter by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:51.1 in the decisive heat.

Peck was unaware that Muscle Hill is only $291,962 from the harness racing record for earnings in a year, $2.44 million, which was set last season by 3-year-old pacer Somebeachsomewhere. Donato Hanover holds the record of $2.33 million for a trotter.

“No, I didn’t know that, but it’s the same as the 1:50 time,” Peck said. “He could have done it in the Hambletonian, he probably could have done it the other day when he hit the half. But he slowed down in the third quarter, so it didn’t set up. He would have had to come home in :25.4 (seconds) or something, so it just didn’t set up that way. Everybody I’ve talked to says they think he could have beaten 1:50 no problem, but it just hasn’t happened.”

Muscle Hill remains at the Red Mile and will ship from there directly to Dr. David Goodrow’s farm in preparation for the Breeders Crown races at Woodbine.