by Moira Fanning, publicity director, the Hambletonian Society

Cranbury, NJ — He’s lost one race this year. He devastated the best older trotters in the world in the Nat Ray with a 1:50.1 world record — earplugs in place. He’s made more than $600,000 in a little more than six months. To top it all off, his name starts with “Lucky.” It’s a wonder race secretary Pete Koch even found five Breeders Crown eligible trotters willing to drop in against Lucky Jim, arguably the best trotter racing today.

Of those five, there are two former Breeders Crown champions, In Focus, who beat Deweycheatumnhowe last year in their 3-year-old division, and Arch Madness, who beat Donato Hanover in their Crown face-off in 2007. Last year’s Horse Trot winner, Corleone Kosmos, is on the shelf until next year and did not enter.

Lucky Jim has won 16 of his 17 starts this year and is currently ranked second on the Harness Racing Communications poll behind only Hambletonian winner Muscle Hill. He will take on the two former Crown champs as well as John Paul’s Legacy, Lanson and Misterizi.

The Breeders Crown Trot is one of four open events worth a combined $1.6 million, along with the $400,000 Woodrow Wilson and the $350,000 Sweetheart, scheduled for closing night at the Meadowlands, Saturday, August 22.

The draw will be televised live on Big M TV during the Saturday, Aug. 15, card. The track is dark Friday, Aug. 14.

Here are the entries for the $600,000 Breeders Crown Trot on Saturday, August 22, at the Meadowlands.

Horse-Trainer-Driver-Owner(s)
Arch Madness–Trond Smedshammer–Brian Sears–Marc Goldberg and Willow Pond
In Focus–Jimmy Takter–David Miller–Takter, Fielding and Fielding
John Paul’s Legacy–Angus MacDonald–George Brennan–Emil Benvenuto
Lanson–Don Swick–Michel Lachance–Royal Wire Products, Inc.
Lucky Jim–Julie Miller–Andy Miller–Prushnok, Prushnok and Gregg
Misterizi–Anthony Montini–Tim Tetrick–Montini, Eazy Racing and Giammichele