Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Last Year’s Sophomore American National Winner Seeks A Repeat in Aged Trot
November 4, 2004
By Kimberly A. Rinker

Mutineer, who captured the American National Sophomore Trot for colts here last year, returns on Saturday to Balmoral in hopes of keeping his AmNat Crown intact. And he appears in the right form to be able to do just that—as he rocked to a new track standard of 1:53 here on Sunday night.

Piloted by David Miller for trainer and co-owner Chuck Sylvester, Mutineer scored his second win of the season in eight tries for the son of the Muscles Yankee, who is co-owned by Gerald Donahue and Neal Goldman in the $16,000 Open Trot.

"This horse was just great in that race," Miller said. "I hate to say that it was one of his best races ever, but it really was. He really trotted his guts out, and I just can’t say enough good things about him."

The victory pushed Mutineer’s career earnings to $498,017, and lowered the record set by Rotation (1:53.1) only a year before in the American National Aged Trot. The bay horse scored his win a full three lengths ahead of rival Elegant Man (John Campbell).

Mutineer earned $72,505 at two, in a season that saw him win two of seven starts—the $30,000 Hayes at DuQuoin and a $15,000 elimination of the Valley Victory at The Meadowlands. During his sophomore year he scored a 4-2-1 record from 15 starts, amassing $326,391 in earnings. He was fourth in the Breeders Crown Sophomore Trot in 2003 and was second in the Matron at Dover after winning his elimination.

However, his biggest win of the year came right here at Balmoral Park, when he trotted to a 1:55 clocking in the $200,000 American National on August 9 for driver Eric Ledford. He also won the $133,539 Zweig as well.

Mutineer is the eighth and most successful foal out of the unraced Florida Pro mare Bathonia. A $20,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg, Mutineer is a half-brother to the Speedy Crown mare Secret Alert, a winner of$108,163 with a four-year-old record of 1:57.2.

Of course Mutineer will have to contend with seven solid foes, including the four-year-old standout Mr Muscleman, a winner of six starts in 13 tries this year and $475,823 in seasonal earnings, and a winner of well over $1.7 million lifetime. Mutineer will also face off with the venerable Fool’s Goal and driver trainer Jim Doherty. This nine-year-old Armbro Goal gelding has earnings close to $3 million, and has won nearly every important stake in North America during his career.

Also seeking revenge will be Elegant Man, the hobbled five-year-old son of Malabar Man who finished in the runner-up spot to Mutineer last week with John Campbell at the controls. Trained by Robert Bencal, Elegant Man has just over $400,000 lifetime on his card and nearly $200,000 in seasonal earnings.

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