Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Classic Series at The Big M Saturday Night

July 23, 2005

Mr Muscleman Wins $85,000 Trotting Classic
Mr Muscleman held on for his eighth straight win with a neck victory over a fast closing Sand Vic in the $85,000 Trotting Classic, Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Mr. Muscleman, driven by Ron Pierce and trained by Noel Daley, trotted the mile in 1:51.4, the fifth straight in which he was timed in 1:52 or faster. His only loss this year was by a neck in the Su Mac Lad Final on April 10. The two-time Dan Patch Award winner has 29 wins, 13 seconds and three thirds from 52 career starts for a bankroll of $2.3 million for Adam Victor & Son Stable LLC of New York City.

"The hole opened up so we dropped in there," Pierce said of the first quarter. "I moved him as we straighten up down the backstretch. We got a little breather on the turn [for home] but not enough. I called on him at the head of the stretch, and he took off. Sand Vic almost got us; he was coming good. I had to reach up and give Mr Muscleman a swat to keep going. He had a right to be tired."

Mr Muscleman, who won the $180,000 Cutler Final on May 21, had not raced since winning the $254,800 Titan Cup Final on July 2. Sand Vic was second best, and it was a length and a quarter to Hez Striking in third.

"The trip worked out great tonight," said David Miller, the driver of Hez Striking. "I mean Mr Muscleman is unbelievable, but I was right where I wanted to be with my horse. And he really raced well."
$85,000 Trotting Classic The Meadowlands Saturday, July 23, 2005
PP Horse Driver                Time: 1:51.4
7 Mr Muscleman Ron Pierce
8 Sand Vic Brian Sears
4 Hez Striking David Miller
11 Elegant Man Geo Brennan
1 Hellava Hush Cat Manzi
3 Cash Hall Jack Moiseyev
2 Muscles Marinara Ledford
9 Cordial Martini M Lachance
6 Enflammatory T Smdshamer
5 Chucaro Ahijuna J Morrill
10 War Paint John Campbell

Dr No Says Yes in $85,000 Pacing Classic
In the $85,000 Pacing Classic, Dr No cruised to a one and a half length victory over Ponder in 1:49 flat. Articulator was third by two and three-quarter lengths. Dr. No, the winner of the $700,000 William Haughton Memorial two starts back, extended his winning streak to four. He now has with five wins in 11 starts this year. Because this was the four-year-old son of No Nukes only start in the Classic Series, he will not be eligible for the $250,000 final next Saturday.

"I was going forward at the start but having Boulder Creek [who bobbled at the start] off the gate made a big difference," said Cat Manzi, who has driven Dr No in all of his Meadowlands' starts this year. "It crossed my mind [to leave Ponder parked out on the backstretch], but it was best for us to let him get in front. He's a sweetheart, not a show off. That's just the way he is."

Dr No, who races for Brian Legge of Toronto, Ontario; Dr. David Legge of Ajax, Ontario and Robert Stewart of Oshawa, Ontario, pushed his career earnings to more than $750,000. He will have a week off before the United States Pacing Championship on August 6 at the Meadowlands.
$85,000 Pacing Classic The Meadowlands Saturday, July 23, 2005
PP Horse Driver           Time: 1:49
6 Dr No Cat Manzi
4 Ponder Jack Moiseyev
1 Articulator Ron Pierce
2 Boulder Creek B Sears
9 Metropolitan Eric Ledford
7 Quality Western David Miller
8 Santastic's Pan J Campbell
3 Life Source G Brennan
5 Sagebrush D Dube
10 Escape The Wind Mayotte
5 Sagebrush Daniel Dube

Peaceful Way & Burning Point Score in $85,000 Classic Oaks & Classic Distaff
Peaceful Way equaled the world record for a four-year-old trotting mare in the $85,000 Classic Oaks, while Burning Point captured the $85,000 Classic Distaff.

Peaceful Way rallied from the back of the back to score a head victory over Housethatruthbuilt in the Classic Oaks for trotting mares, covering the mile in 1:51.4. The clocking for Peaceful Way matched the world record set by Beat The Wheel on July 8, 1994. Windylane Hanover was third by three and a quarter lengths.

"She is a little funny sometimes," said driver Trevor Ritchie of Peaceful Way. "She gaps sometimes and sometimes she rushes up. She's not consistent that way. I know she has pacing horse speed. I didn't know if I had too far to come, but I knew she'd give a big kick in the lane."

Peaceful Way is now a perfect five-for-five this year with career earnings of nearly $1.6 million. The two-time winner of Canada's O'Brien Award races for Joe and Barbara Myers' Goin My Way Stable of Holland, Pennsylvania; Angie Stiller of Arva, Ontario and trainer David Tingley. This week Toronto businessmen Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz purchased a half of Goin My Way's interest in the trotter.

"She's getting older and more mature," said Tingley. "It was a little nerve wracking tonight. Congratulations to the new partners. I'd love to go in the Nat Ray but part of the agreement [is not to]. But there's a four-week break to the Breeders Crown, and I need a race for her. I plan to bring her back at five as long as she's at the top of her game."

In the Classic Distaff for pacing mares Burning Point held off Glowing Report for a neck victory in 1:50.3, with Carolina Sunshine third by a half-length. Burning Point, racing for the Cuzzins Stable of Delray Beach, Florida, paced the mile in 1:50.3.

"I kind of figured to duck into the three-hole," said Ron Pierce, the driver of Burning Point. "I moved her at the quarter pole, got to the top easily. I was hoping to keep Carolina Sunshine on my back and Glowing Report on the outside."

"She raced all right," said Steve Elliott, the trainer of Burning Point. "I thought at the quarter they would protect the rail. She was good; she's just a good horse. We just don't try to screw her up. We just let her do what she does."

Burning Point, a five-year-old daughter of Camluck, now has five wins, six seconds and a third in 20 starts this year. Lifetime, she has earned nearly $1.6 million.

$85,000 Classic Oaks The Meadowlands Saturday, July 23, 2005
PP Horse Driver          Time: 1:51.4
7 Peaceful Way Trevor Ritchie
5 Housethatruthbuilt B Sears
9 Windylane Hanover Cambell
4 Mystical Sunshine R Pierce
2 Silver Springs David MIller
6 Bramasole Eric Ledford
8 Godess Of Chaos M Lachance
3 Ecstatic Cat Manzi
1 Fox Valley Flan Brennan 10-1

$85,000 Classic Distaff The Meadowlands Saturday, July 23, 2005
PP Horse Driver           Time: 1:50.3
4 Burning Point Ron Pierce
1 Glowing Report DMiller
3 Carolina Sunshine B Sears
6 Loyal Opposition G Brennan
2 Artbitration Patrick Berry
5 Always Cam Eric Ledford
7 Stonebridge Kisses Y Gingras