by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Mypanmar, a 10-year-old pacing horse who won $1.49 million during his career, has been retired. Trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. said Mypanmar’s future as a stallion was undetermined.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

Mypanmar earned $1,490,996 in 191 career races.

A son of The Panderosa-Road To Pandalay, Mypanmar was bred and owned by Bob Glazer’s Peter Pan Stables. He won 44 of 191 races and finished second or third a total of 55 times.

“I’ve trained thousands of horses and he’s one of my favorites of all time, that’s for sure,” Morgan said. “You have to respect him. He was so big, so good looking. Size, conformation, attitude — he’s flawless in all those areas. He could go on any sized track. He’s definitely a horse that loved to do his work.”

Mypanmar’s biggest win came in the $480,000 Monticello-OTB Classic at Monticello Raceway in 2007. With John Campbell in the sulky, Mypanmar paced the fastest mile in the history of the half-mile oval, 1:51.2, and beat stablemate Mister Big by 1-1/4 lengths.

“He was unbeatable the way he raced that day,” Morgan said. “He was extremely good on a half (-mile track). He’s a big horse, but he was real clean gaited. I think that shows his versatility.”

Another memorable mile came in 2006, when he won his elimination for the Canadian Pacing Derby by three-quarters of a length over Lis Mara in a career-best 1:48.3 at Woodbine Racetrack. A week later at Mohawk Racetrack, he finished second to Lis Mara in the $830,370 Canadian Pacing Derby final.

“I think the elimination took a little out of him,” Morgan said. “The mile he went at the elim was a scary mile that night.”

In 2005, Mypanmar won by 12 lengths in 1:50.1 at Scioto Downs, missing Gallo Blue Chip’s track record by one-fifth of a second.

“The day he won there he was under wraps,” Morgan said.

Other top finishes for Mypanmar, whose family included 1931 Hambletonian winner Calumet Butler, were a second-place finish in the $390,000 Levy in 2008, second in the $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational in 2006 and third in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace in 2005.

“I can’t say enough about him,” Morgan said. “He’s been a model of consistency. He’s been a pleasure to train. I’m thankful to Bob Glazer for the opportunity to train and race the horse.”