Muscle Hill looking to finish career with 20th straight win at Breeders Crown

TORONTO - Muscle Hill is on some kind of roll.

The incomparable three-year-old colt has compiled 19 straight wins since finishing second by a neck in his harness-racing debut last year. Among his impressive victories are the Hambletonian, World Trotting Derby, Canadian Trotting Classic and Kentucky Futurity.

But it will all come to an end Saturday in the $618,880 Three-Year-Old Colt Trot at Woodbine Racetrack as part of the $5.1 million Breeders Crown (The Score, 8 p.m. ET). After the race, Muscle Hill will be retired to stud.

And the overwhelming 1-5 favourite will be looking to make harness-racing history by finishing his season 12-0, and hopes to become the first horse to capture the U.S. Dan Patch Award as best three-year-old male trotter with an undefeated season. He's currently No. 1 in the weekly poll.

A win would certainly solidify Muscle Hill's top ranking and make him just the third trotter ever to win Breeders Crown events as both a two-and three-year-old. But Canadian trainer Greg Peck also said a defeat certainly won't tarnish the horse's legacy.

"Oh, I don't think so at all," said the native of Sydney Mines, N.S. "There's nothing he can do one way or the other that will in any way at all says he's not a great horse and won't go down in history as that."

The draws for the Three-Year-Old Colt Pace and Trot events were held Tuesday at Woodbine. Former quarterback Warren Moon, a member of the Canadian and Pro Football Hall of Fames, served as the honourary drawmaster.

Since finishing a close second to Homer Jay on July 3, 2008 at Meadowlands Racetrack, Muscle Hill has blown away the competition. His 19 wins have come by an average margin of four lengths.

"It's really, really something," Peck said. "He has that star quality, that aura about him.

"He's like the kid who at a very early age you knew could score the goals and was happy doing it. To know him is to love him and you wouldn't know at all with him what he's about to do. That's the funny thing about it. He just takes it all in stride and after the race he eats his feed like he's supposed to."

So, is Muscle Hill the best trotter ever?

"I think that's better for others to say," Peck said modestly.

And with a win Saturday, Muscle Hill would boost his season earnings to $2.45 million, breaking the single-season mark of $2.44 million set last year by Canadian super pacer Somebeachsomewhere.

While the weight of expectation gets heavier with each win, Peck readily welcomes such pressure.

"It's been a good expectation to have," he said.

Muscle Hill will break from the No. 1 post Saturday, a starting position that doesn't concern Peck.

"One thing I'll say about Woodbine is it's a pretty fair track," he said. "Whether you draw the inside rail or the outside rail, there's a lot of ground before you hit the turn so things tend to get sorted out by then so the post is fine."

Driver Brian Sears will look to join some select company Saturday. With a win, he'd join John Campbell of Ailsa Craig, Ont., Ron Pierce, Mike Lachance of St. Augustine, Que., Bill O'Donnell and Stanley Dancer as regular drivers of both a trotter and pacer to earn horse-of-the-year honours.

And when it comes to the Breeders Crown, Sears is no slouch. He has 17 career wins, leaving him fourth overall.

The other marquee event Saturday is the $617,880 Three-Year-Old Colt Pace, where Well Said will attempt to become the fourth pacer to win Breeders Crown events at two and three years old.

Well Said has enjoyed a solid '09 campaign, winning the Pepsi North America Cup in June at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont., the Meadowlands Pace in July and the Little Brown Jug in Delaware. And while being named the early 8-5 favourite, the son of Western Hanover who has banked over $2.6 million will break from the No. 9 post.

Assistant trainer Toni Rose said Well Said has the ability to storm to the lead and attempt the wire-to-wire victory but it's not the ideal game plan for the horse, which will be driven by American Ron Pierce.

"He could but he's always better from behind," Rose said. "Every race he's lost, he's done so on the front.

"When he's got something to go after he's much better."

Sportswriter will put an impressive 7-0 record on the line in the $720,860 Two-Year-Old Colt Pace event. The Canadian-owned horse which won the Metro Pace earlier this season, tuned up for the Breeders Crown race by taking a conditioned event Sunday at Woodbine in 1:53.2, beating rival Malicious by a half-length.

Sportswriter will start from the No. 2 spot, with Malicious breaking from the No. 9 spot. Malicious has eight wins, one second and a third-place finish in 11 starts this season.