by Peter Wharton

Trotting sire Muscle Hill had a red-letter day on Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands last Saturday (Aug. 6).

The winner of the Hambletonian in 2009, Muscle Hill sired the winners of seven big trotting classics including the $1 million Hambletonian and $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks.

Muscle Hill produced the winners of both $70,000 Hambletonian eliminations in Marion Marauder (1:51.3) and Bar Hopping (1:51.4) with Marion Marauder returning to win the final in 1:51.4 beating Southwind Frank (by Muscle Hill) by a nose.

Marion Marauder, who is out of a Donerail mare, is now the richest trotter in North America this year with $729,905. He is the second Hambletonian winner sired by Muscle Hill, the other being Trixton who took the 2014 edition.

All The Time, last year’s Breeders Crown champion, added the Hambletonian Oaks to her list of major race successes, scoring in 1:52.1.

Muscle Hill sired the winners of both 2-year-old classics on the Hambo undercard.

What The Hill captured the $294,450 Peter Haughton Memorial in 1:54.4, while Ariana G won the $306,500 Jim Doherty Memorial in a lifetime record 1:53.1. Ariana G, out of a mare by Cantab Hall, is the richest 2-year-old trotter in North America with a $215,587 bankroll.

To cap off a brilliant day Resolve, a 5-year-old son of Muscle Hill, hoisted a lifetime record 1:50.2 in winning the $273,600 John Cashman Memorial. The performance follows his close second in the prestigious Elitlopp in Sweden earlier this year.

Muscle Hill is now the leading sire of trotters in every age group this year — all-age, 2- and 3-year-old. He is $700,000 ahead of his nearest rival on the all-age list.