Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

New World Records in Classics Saturday Night

July 30, 2005

Mr Muscleman extended his winning streak to nine with a two and three-quarter-length victory over Hellava Hush in the $250,000 Trotting Classic Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Hez Striking was third by three lengths. Mr Muscleman trotted the mile and a sixteenth in 1:58.4, a world, stakes and world record, eclipsing the 2:00 mark set by Plesac on June 8, 2002 at the Meadowlands.

"It doesn't seem to matter to him too much how you race him," said winning driver Ron Pierce. "He just seems to get across that wire first. I fell into the hole for just about three steps. I could have stayed in there longer but Mr Muscleman felt really good so I took him back out and didn't really say anything to him until we straightened up, then I chased him a little bit home. Noel Daley is just an unbelievable trainer. He does a great job with all his horses and this just happens to be a special horse. He rises to the occasion. I just appreciate him. Noel, [owners] Adam Victor, Senior and Junior gave
me the honor to drive this horse, and it's a thrill. I'm very happy. If he's as good as he was tonight, I don't see how anybody can get close to him in the Nat Ray."

"He's very easy to train," said Daley. "He does everything you tell him. He's a pleasure to have. You really get to appreciate a horse like this. He always appears like he's getting better. He's a big, strong horse. He's always been a tall horse. Now he's filled out and come into himself. There's no reason why he can't go on for another couple years. After the Nat Ray, he has three weeks off, he goes to Canada for a month, has a week or two off, then he goes to Lexington. If all things are all right, he still has a lot of racing to do yet. He's a gelding and as long as he keeps coming back the way he is, he's going to be around for a few years. Like Fool's Goal and Magician, great old geldings, they come around for a lot of years, and I think he can do the same thing."

Boulder Creek scored a two and three-quarter-length victory over Metropolitan in the $250,000 Pacing Classic, setting a world record for a mile and a sixteenth for an older pacer of 1:56.2, off a mile in 1:49.4. This effort erased the 1:57.1 mark shared by Big Tom [July 15,2000] and Life Source [June 8, 2002]. Ponder was third. Boulder Creek, driven by Brian Sears and trained by Mark Silva, is owned by New Yorkers Cliff Siegel, Lee Wasserman and John Fodera.

"There was some movement, a little jousting around going into the half, but it worked out," said Sears. "It was a really good trip. The horse has been really sharp the last few weeks but just hasn't been able to get in the perfect spot. Tonight he was. In the deep stretch, I was just looking for a way out. I know I'm loaded and looking for a little daylight. He's been super the last few weeks but hasn't been in the perfect spot."

Another Win for Peaceful Way
Peaceful Way closed more than six lengths in the stretch with an explosive final eighth of mile to win the $250,000 Classic Oaks Saturday at the Meadowlands. Peaceful Way caught Housethatruthbuilt at the wire for a neck victory, pacing the mile and a
sixteenth in 2:01.2. Mystical Sunshine was third by a length and a half.

"She was in an impossible spot tonight and the fractions weren't going her way at all and there was a horse that stalled on the last turn," said winning driver Trevor Ritchie. "Nothing went her way, and she still overcame it. She gets a little tricky and you don't want her move too much on the turn if can help it because she gets a little crooked, and I didn't want her making a break. I finally had to move her earlier than I wanted but Brian [Sears with Housethatruthbuilt] was sitting way too far away from me as it was."

"It's unbelievable where she came from," said David Tingley, the trainer and co-owner of Peaceful Way, who is now the winner of all six of her starts this year. "It was getting too close. After those fractions, I thought we could be in trouble. She's a great horse. And great horses overcome adversity. And she certainly did again tonight. I think there is more to come. She loves the fall racing, too. The Breeders Crown is a month away, so if can do that there, God knows what she can do."

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. Toronto businessmen Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz recently purchased a half of Goin My Way's interest in the trotter.

In the $250,000 Classic Distaff Final, the eighth race, Burning Point posted a two and a quarter length victory over Glowing Report.Carolina Sunshine held on for third, three and three-quarters back.

"She was really good today," said driver Ron Pierce of Burning Point. "Burning Point had a lot of pace. I have to thank Kevin Wallis and the Cuzzins Stable and Steve Elliott for giving me this drive on her. I was stuck without a horse when I lost Rainbow Blue [to injury] earlier in the year, and they came through for me giving me this ride. I'd like to express my appreciation. She's right up there with the best of them."

Burning Point equaled the fillies and mares' world, stakes and track record for a mile and sixteenth with a time of 1:58. She matched the mark set by Bunny Lake on June 8, 2002 at the Meadowlands.

$250,000 Classic Distaff The Meadowlands Saturday, July 30, 2005
PP Horse Driver
5 Burning Point Ron Pierce
3 Glowing Report David Miller
6 Carolina Sunshine B Sears
1 Artbitration Mike Wilder
2 Stonebridge Kisses YGingras
4 Always Cam John Campbell
Times :26.3 54.2 1:24. 1:58.

$250,000 Classic Oaks The Meadowlands Saturday, July 30, 2005
PP Horse Driver
5 Peaceful Way Trevor Ritchie
6 Housethatruthbuilt B Sears
2 Mystical Sunshine Ron Pierce
1 Windylane Hanover Campbell
4 Silver Springs David Miller
3 Bramasole Eric Ledford
7 Fox Valley Flan Geo Brennan
Times 27.4 57.4 1:26.2 2:01.2

$250,000 Trotting Classic The Meadowlands Saturday, July 30, 2005
PP Horse Driver
2 Mr Muscleman Ron Pierce
4 Hellava Hush Cat Manzi
1 Hez Striking David Miller
8 Sand Vic Brian Sears
3 Elegant Man George Brennan
6 Chucaro Ahijuna MLachance
7 Muscles Marinara E Ledford
5 Cash Hall Jack Moiseyev
Times 26.4 55.2 1:23.3 1:58.4

$250,000 Pacing Classic The Meadowlands Saturday, July 30, 2005
PP Horse Driver
7 Boulder Creek Brian Sears
4 Metropolitan Eric Ledford
9 Ponder Jack Moiseyev
2 Escape The Wind R Mayotte
6 Maltese Artist Ron Pierce
5 Santastic's Pan J Campbell
8 Quality Western David Miller
1 Articulator Ron Pierce
3 Life Source George Brennan
10 Casimir Camotion PLachance
Times 26.1 54.3 1:21.4 1:56.2