by Nick Salvi, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — The $214,000 Credit Winner (open) and $202,000 Muscle Hill (mares) trotting stakes offer a look at the finest trotting talent on the continent in Grand Circuit action on Friday (Sept. 6) at Vernon Downs.

The Credit Winner offers an All-Star field of eight, boasting career earnings of nearly $13 million.

The talented group includes Arch Madness (a win would put him over the $4 million mark), 2012 Hambletonian winner Market Share, 2012 Breeders Crown 3-year-old winner Intimidate, 2012 Kentucky Futurity champ My MVP, International winner Wishing Stone, Canadian superstar Mister Herbie, the season’s top earner in the division in Sevruga and Guccio, who goes over the $1 million mark with a win.

Intimidate is making his first start against the top of the crop after a quiet summer in Quebec. Trainer Luc Blais kept his prize pupil on the junior circuit before unleashing him at the WEG tracks in August with a pair of impressive wins in the 1:52 range. The Vernon Downs configuration mirrors that of Mohawk Racetrack and should suit Intimidate’s closing style. Ron Pierce will drive the altered son of Justice Hall for Blais and his partner Judith Farrow in Friday’s 11th race.

The fairer sex will perform a race earlier with ten mares facing the gate including the division leader Maven. The competition includes all the players, with Beatgoeson Hanover, fresh off her world record 1:51.4 effort at Pocono; Real Babe, who finished right on the aforementioned mare’s heels last week; and last year’s top filly Check Me Out, who flashed some of her speed in a 1:55.3 win at Saratoga in her last.

Maven has won six of eight this season and is the leading money winner in the group. She has rebounded from a mid-summer swoon with a sharp 1:53.3 win in the Miss Versatility at Tioga in her last, adding lasix. The winner of more than $1 million in her career, Maven starts from post six for regular driver Yannick Gingras. Jonas Czernyson has conditioned the daughter of Glidemaster throughout her career for owner WJ Donovan of Ft Lauderdale, Fla.

Horses for both races must report to the Retention Barn by 12 noon on Friday.

Here are the fields:

$202,000 Muscle Hill Mare Trot
HN-PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-6-Maven-Yannick Gingras-Jonas Czernyson
1A-9-D’orsay-Corey Callahan-Jonas Czernyson
2-1-Beatgoeson Hanover-David Miller-Nifty Norman
3-2-Intense America-Jody Jamieson-Susanne Kerwood
4-3-Pembroke Heat Wave-John MacDonald-Mark Ford
5-4-Cedar Dove-Ron Pierce-Noel Daley
6-5-Real Babe-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Mark Harder
7-7-Personal Style-Andy Miller-Nifty Norman
8-8-Bax Of Life-John Campbell-Jerry Duford
9-10-Check Me Out-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker

$214,000 Credit Winner Open Trot
HN-PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-2-My MVP-Corey Callahan-Tony Alagna
1A-3-Market Share-Tim Tetrick-Linda Toscano
1B-5-Wishing Stone-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
2-1-Arch Madness-Trond Smedshammer-Trond Smedshammer
3-4-Sevruga-Andy Miller-Julie Miller
4-6-Guccio-Jimmy Takter-Jimmy Takter
5-7-Intimidate-Ron Pierce-Luc Blais
6-8-Mister Herbie-Jody Jamieson-Jeff Gillis