by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

For the past several weeks, trotters Peaceful Way and Mr Muscleman have been fighting for the top spot in the weekly Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Top 10 poll. On September 17, they will take their battle to the racetrack.

Fresh off wins in their respective Breeders Crown races on Saturday, both Mr Muscleman and Peaceful Way were entered in the C$918,500 Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario. The race drew a field of 12, so elimination races won’t be necessary. Also entered were Abbey Road C, Elegant Man, Hellava Hush, Hez Striking, JM Vangogh, Liberty Balance, Muscles Marinara, Nelson November, Sand Vic, and another mare, Mystical Sunshine.

Joseph Myers, whose Goin My Way Stable shares ownership of Peaceful Way with trainer Dave Tingley, breeder Angie Stiller, Sam Goldband, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, made the final decision after consulting with the connections Monday night. Barbara Myers and Linda Ann Worrell also are part of Goin My Way.

“I decided to give her a shot,” Myers said. “I think she deserves it. I really believe whoever comes out the winner will be the Horse of the Year. That was a factor in making this decision. I discussed it with all the partners and they all felt the same way I did – how often to you get an opportunity to race for Horse of the Year honors? It really played a big part in it.”

Peaceful Way, who is No. 1 in the current Top 10 poll, is a perfect 7-for-7 this year and has earned $505,054 after capturing her first Breeders Crown. The four-year-old mare has won 26 of 32 lifetime races and banked $1.8 million. On July 23 at the Meadowlands, she equaled the world record for female trotters by winning in 1:51.4 with a fierce rally from fifth place at the top of the stretch. A week later she won the Classic Oaks with another dramatic rally, this time by making up more than six lengths to nip Housethatruthbuilt at the wire.

“I’m not saying she can beat [Mr Muscleman], or some of those other colts, because he’s a monster; he’s a great horse,” Myers said. “Four-year-old mares aren’t supposed to beat colts. But if she’s close to him, with her tenacity and hating to lose the way she does, she will give him a race.”

Myers said Peaceful Way tied up prior to her Breeders Crown victory, which made the decision whether to enter the Maple Leaf Trot a little more difficult.

“Even up to this morning I was kind of wavering a bit,” he said. “We watched her warm up twice prior to the Breeders Crown, and she looked terrible. She wasn’t on her game Saturday night. She tied up. Trevor (driver Trevor Ritchie) said that even up to the point of going to the gate she was hitching in back and leaning to one side. But as soon as the gate pulled away, she knew what she had to do. She puts everything out of her mind and goes on. But she has to be a hundred percent or very close to it to compete with Mr Muscleman. Dave is going to work on the tying up and we’ll see what happens and go from there. Not to have eliminations this week is a blessing.”

Mr Muscleman, a five-year-old, won his second Breeders Crown championship Saturday night by trotting the fastest mile in Mohawk Racetrack history – 1:52. Kadabra set the previous record of 1:52.4 in 2002. For the season, Mr Muscleman has won 11 of 13 races and $978,450. Lifetime, he has won 31 of 55 starts and earned $2.8 million, good for 13th place among trotters in harness racing history. There have been 18 race miles by trotters under 1:52 in history, and four belong to Mr Muscleman. He holds the record for most miles of 1:52 or faster, with five. Fool’s Goal, with three, is the only other trotter with more than two.

“I think this is wonderful for the sport,” said Adam Victor Jr., the son in the Adam Victor & Son Stable, which owns Mr Muscleman. “This is the race of the year for the sport. We’re happy. We’re all set, and may the best horse win. We’re very confident, I’m not going to lie. If he’s as good as he was in the Breeders Crown, it would be difficult for anyone to beat him. With that being said, who knows what can happen? It’s a horse race. Her winning is a possibility, that’s for sure. But win, lose or draw, it’s going to be a great race. It’s going to be really exciting.”

Mr Muscleman is a two-time Dan Patch Award winner, having captured honors as best three-year-old male trotter in 2003 and best older male trotter in 2004. Peaceful Way is a two-time O’Brien Award winner as Canada’s top filly trotter. The last trotter to be honored as Horse of the Year was Moni Maker, a mare, who won back-to-back awards in 1998-99.