Freshman colt trot divisions contested at Red Mile Thursday

September 25, 2008

Peter Haughton Memorial winner Muscle Hill was brushed to the lead down the backstretch by Brian Sears and went on to a 1:55 victory in the fifth and final division of the $489,000 Bluegrass for 2-year-old colt trotters Thursday afternoon at The Red Mile. The time was the fastest of the five splits and also equaled Muscle Hill's career best taken while winning the $500,000 Haughton at the Meadowlands in late July.

Finishing second was Swan For All for driver Andy Miller, with Cesar A Blue Chip third for Ron Pierce.

A son of Muscles Yankee out of the American Winner mare Yankee Blondie, Muscle Hill won for the fifth time in six starts, with the winner's share of the $98,000 purse increasing his earnings to $312,601 for owners Jerry Silva and TLP Stable. Greg Peck is the trainer.

Syrinxian, a son of Windsong's Legacy out of the 2001 Trotter of the Year Syrinx Hanover, won the second division of the Bluegrass with a career-best 1:57.4 effort. Pierce was in the sulky behind the Steve Elliott trainee who scored for the third time in three starts in the $97,000 division.

Pierce got away second with Syrinxian but then popped the pocket past the openng quarter of :30. but then he yielded the top to the John Campbell-driven American Journey. Pierce then popped the pocket a second time midway around the final turn to take the lead and the colt was able to stay game and fend off his oncoming peers. Howthehaloareyou rallied to finish second for Andrew McCarthy, with Wuthering Hanover and David Miller finishing third.

Swedish interests Salomon Rytz and Natan Schlachet own Syrinxian.

Jeff Gregory tipped Judge Joe from third around the final turn and then the son of Credit Winner wore down the pacesetting Top Chef and driver Campbell to score in 1:56.4 in the third division. Tymal Wingman finished third for Jody Jamieson.

Top Chef set fractions of :29, :58 and 1:27.3 but he could not fend off the stretch charge by Judge Joe, who won for the fifth time in eight starts to go along with three seconds. Bred and owned by the Doug Ackerman Stables and trained by Hall of Famer Doug Ackerman, Judge Joe increased his earnings to $193,649 with the win in the $98,000 Bluegrass split.

The third division, worth $98,000 was reduced to seven starters when Tom Cango and Donttellmywife--a perfect 12 for 12 between them--were scratched. The five-for-five Tom Cango was coming off a win in the $478,000 William Wellwood Memorial at Mohawk, while Donttellmywife's seventh win in seven starts came in the $175,00 New York Sire Stakes final at Yonkers after he swept his way through the preliminaries.

With the connections of the remaining seven starters likely feeling Christmas came in late September, it was Even Better Odds that emerged victorious for driver Tim Tetrick, who picked up the drive when Campbell committed to direct Tom Cango. Even Better Odds got away fourth but then when the leading Select Yankee made a break on the lead at the half, moved up a spot.

Tetrick and Even Better Odds moved to the lead in the stretch, going on to win by two lenghs over Manningly and driver Brian Sears in 1:55.2. Lindy's Dynasty was third for Pierce.

Trained by Hall of Famer Chuck Sylvester, Even Better Odds is a son of Cantab Hall out of the Pine Chip mare Better Odds. The win was a career best by nealy two seconds from three overall victories in six starts. Even Better Odds is owned by Brittany Farms, Blue Chip Bloodstock and Dynasty Stable.

Encore Encore needed every bit of the stretch to wear down Photoforwin to win the fourth $98,000 Bluegrass division. Driver Tetrick tipped Encore Encore from second turning for home to take aim at the leading Photoforwin, driven by Rick Beinhauer, and the two slugged it out for nearly the entire distance until Encore Encore edged past near the wire to win in 1:55.4. Victor Blue Chip recovered from a first-turn break for Pierce to finish third.

The win was the sixth of the year in 10 starts for Encore Encore, a son of Broadway Hall out of the BJ's Mac mare Key's La Nina. He is a homebred of Pennsylvania owner Robert Key.

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