by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Lucky Jim, the 2009 Dan Patch Award winner for best older male trotter, makes his seasonal debut Friday (April 8) at Harrah’s Chester in a $35,000 Open Handicap filled with stakes-winning talent.

Friday’s six-horse race also features Arch Madness, Flex The Muscle, Anders Bluestone, Winning Mister and Four Starz Speed. Lucky Jim, now a 6-year-old, is the 2-1 morning line favorite.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Lucky Jim will make his 6-year-old debut this Friday at Harrah’s Chester.

“Someone kind of chuckled and said it looks like the Nat Ray or Maxie Lee,” said Lucky Jim’s trainer Julie Miller, referring to two stakes events on the schedule later this year. “There are a lot of talented older trotters. It’s a great division this year and I’m just glad Lucky Jim is considered in that group.”

Lucky Jim won 17 of 18 races in 2009, including the Breeders Crown, Nat Ray and Maxie Lee, and earned $1.06 million for owners David Prushnok, John Prushnok and Bill Gregg. Last year, the horse won the Allerage, Credit Winner and Su Mac Lad on his way to six victories in 12 starts and $489,144.

“We’re really optimistic,” Miller said. “Whenever you get another year under your belt you have more things to contend with, but luckily he seems to be back and better than ever.

“There’s a top five or 10 trotters all across the world; I don’t think there’s one standout. It’s a good group. If we can get our share and do well that’s all I can ask out of Lucky Jim.”

Arch Madness made his debut two weeks ago in the Open Handicap at Chester, winning by three-quarters of a length over Winning Mister in 1:53.4. He has won $2.42 million in his career and counts among his victories the 2007 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old colts, 2008 Maple Leaf Trot and 2010 Cutler Memorial.

Lucky Jim is among four horses that share the world record for trotting on a mile track (1:50.1) while Arch Madness trotted history’s fastest mile on a five-eighths oval (1:51) last year at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

Flex The Muscle’s wins include last year’s Dexter Cup, the same event Anders Bluestone won the previous year. Four Starz Speed was the 2008 New York Sire Stakes 3-year-old champion and Winning Mister was a winner on the Ontario Sire Stakes circuit in 2008 and won a division of the Oliver Trotting Classic in 2009.

Here’s the field, in post position order:

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-ML
1-Four Starz Speed-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-8-1
2-Flex The Muscle-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker-6-1
3-Winning Mister-Matt Kakaley-Walter Carroll-4-1
4-Anders Bluestone-Ron Pierce-Eric Ell-5-1
5-Arch Madness-Trond Smedshammer-Trond Smedshammer-3-1
6-Lucky Jim-Andy Miller-Julie Miller-2-1