by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Du Quoin, IL — Nothing about World Trotting Derby Day turned out as expected — except the result — when heavy favorite Muscle Hill trotted across the wire a length in front of the field to win in 1:52.3 with a last minute new driver, Luke McCarthy, aboard. The race for 3-year-old trotting colts was held at the Du Quoin State Fair.

USTA/Ellen Harvey photo

A jubilant Luke McCarthy greets trainer Greg Peck minutes after winning the $540,000 World Trotting Derby with Muscle Hill.

McCarthy, subbing for regular driver Brian Sears, and Muscle Hill waited to let Southern Rocketop have first chance at the lead and then trotted to the front just after the quarter-mile marker (:28.2) and stayed there. The 2009 Hambletonian winner led the field to the :57.2 half and 1:26.1 three-quarters. In mid-stretch, Southern Rocketop came out to challenge but could not get past Muscle Hill. Southern Rocketop was second and Photoforwin (Rick Beinhauer) was third.

On a day punctuated by light but persistent rain, the racing card was delayed for six hours, from 12 noon to 6 p.m. (CDT). The delay in the card prompted five of the nine World Trotting Derby drivers, including Brian Sears, the driver of Muscle Hill, to head for Mohawk Raceway in Campbellville, Ontario, where they were scheduled to drive in major races on Saturday evening. An eight man track crew worked on the racing surface for 4-1/2 hours.

USTA/Ellen Harvey photo

Left to right, Muscle Hill‘s trainer Greg Peck, Joe Hanney and driver Luke McCarthy in the winner’s circle at Du Quoin after the World Trotting Derby.

Greg Peck, trainer of Muscle Hill, was mulling over his options for a driver in the shed row outside Muscle Hill’s stall. Joe Hanney, who was at Du Quoin to race Moonlight Kronos in the filly World Trotting Derby the day before, overheard the conversation and suggested 26-year-old Luke McCarthy. McCarthy had previously driven two Peck Stable winners, Guida Muscle and Cantabmyway, at The Red Mile.

Peck called on the newcomer to America, but well known in Australian racing, to make the 295 mile trip from Lexington, Kentucky to Du Quoin on no notice.

“I was just about to head out and grab a bite to eat in the afternoon,” said McCarthy. “Then we were going to go over to the simulcast and watch Muscle Hill. My good buddy Irish Joe (Hanney) called me up and said a lot of the drivers had to go to Canada and they’ve postponed this race. He said to expect a call from Greg Peck. He sounded pretty serious and then Greg called and he said, ‘Can you be out here in time?’

“Greg told me, ‘Just drive him like a good horse and try to stay out of trouble.’ I was nervous as hell before the race. I’ve been lucky enough to drive some of the best horses in Australia and every big race Down Under, but to come here and get the opportunity to drive Muscle Hill, that’s just something else.”

“It worked out great,” said Peck, who took a chance on the young driver who’d only won 12 races in the US prior to driving Muscle Hill. “You know, it’s funny, he’s kind of spoiled us because he usually wins by long margins and today I guess it was by a length or something. But Luke did the right thing. He just kept a good hold of him and I could see he wanted to get around there as uneventfully as possible and that’s what he did.”

Muscle Hill is owned by Jerry Silva, Thomas and Louis Pontone, Southwind Farm and Muscle Hill Racing.