Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Mr Muscleman Heads Historic Week Stakes Action

June 28, 2005

Mr Muscleman will try to extend his winning streak to seven races in the $254,800 Titan Cup, which tops the Historic Week stakes action June 29 to July 2 at the Meadowlands. The Titan Cup for free-for-all trotters on Saturday, July 2, is one of nine stakes events to be contested next week. Originally raced at the Goshen Historic Track in New York, the Historic Week stakes moved to the Meadowlands in 1979.

The 2004 Older Trotter of the Year, Mr Muscleman captured the $40,000 free-for-all event for Titan Cup eligibles Friday night at the Meadowlands. Driven by Ron Pierce, the five-year-old gelding trotted to his sixth straight win, and seventh of the season, in 1:51.3. Mr Muscleman has earned $2.1 million for the team of trainer Noel Daley and owner Adam Victor & Son Stable of New York, New York.

Historic Week begins Wednesday with the Acorn Stake for two-year-old trotting fillies, divided into two divisions, the $55,354 fifth race and $56,004 sixth race. Two $46,705 divisions of the Debutante for freshman pacing fillies are carded as the second and third
races. The Acorn, which has been contested since 1945, drew 19 entrants and there are 14 in the Debutante, which debuted in 1947.

The $113,000 estimated E.H. Harriman Challenge Cup for two-year-old trotting colts, which dates back to 1924, will be carded on Thursday, along with the $114,000 estimated Goshen Cup, first raced in 1949, for freshman pacing colts.

On Friday night, a bevy of Hambletonian-bound three-year-old trotters take their next step on the road to harness racing's most coveted prize in the $100,000 estimated Historic-Dickerson Cup, which was first raced in 1910. The fillies will step out in the companion
$90,000 estimated Coaching Club Oaks, which dates back to 1941.

The $80,000 estimated Ladyship for sophomore pacing fillies will also be contested on Friday night. Historic Week concludes on Saturday night with the $95,000 estimated Jersey Cup for three-year-old pacers and the Titan Cup. Also sharing the spotlight are the eliminations for the $600,000 estimated William R. Haughton Memorial for free for all pacers.