Muscle Hill captures 20th straight trotting win at $5.1 million Breeders Crown

TORONTO - Greg Peck can finally say Muscle Hill is the greatest trotter ever.

The Muscles Yankee colt earned his 20th straight victory in 21 career starts, capturing the $617,880 Three Year-Old Colt Trot event at the $5.1-million Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack.

Whenever asked about Muscle Hill's status, the trainer from Sydney Mines, N.S., often said that would be for others to decide. But following Saturday's win, Peck wasn't afraid to state the obvious.

"Now that it's all over I will say it, he's the greatest trotter that ever lived," Peck said. "People have asked me and I said I didn't think it was fair to say it during the year and I had very reputable horsemen come up to me and tell me.

"Now that it's over, by most conventional wisdom he's the greatest trotter that ever lived."

At 1-9, Muscle Hill was such a prohibitive favourite that there was no place or show wagering. And the win in 1:54.1 essentially cemented U.S. horse-of-the-year honours for Muscle Hill.

"The only thing that was challenging was the wind has really kicked up," Peck said. "It's fall and that's what happens this time of year.

"He did it easily. Like Brian (driver Brian Sears) said he just took his time."

The win also capped a fabulous racing career as Muscle Hill will now be retired to stud.

"You wouldn't be a horse trainer, you wouldn't go to the races if it wasn't bitter-sweet," Peck said. "Believe me, there has been a call from the media and industry to look at racing him.

"But to do what's genuinely in his best interests, the time is now for him to go out on top. It would be different if he had something to prove but he really doesn't."

Muscle Hill, who hasn't lost since finishing second in his debut in 2008, became just the third trotter to win Breeders Crown events in both his two and three-year-old seasons. And Peck admits the horse's brilliance has made his job much easier.

"Everyone says, 'What a great job you did,' and I wish I could say that. I'm humbled by the horse. I can't say anything other than his greatness would just exude at all times. He was like the kid who could throw the touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and you'd say to him, 'I can't believe you did that,' and he'd say, 'Dad, it was no big thing.' That's the way Muscle Hill was. The thing is when he gets cooled out and does his tests and everything he'll go back to the farm and eat like he didn't race."

Muscle Hill passed Swan For All for the lead after a half mile, then cruised to the 2 1/1-length victory over Triumphant Caviar, an 80-1 longshot. Following an inquiry, Neighsay Hanover went from fourth to third after third-place finisher Swan For All was relegated to sixth.

Muscle Hill won last year's Breeders Crown en route to divisional honours and in 2009 won the famed Hambletonian, World Trotting derby, Canadian Trotting Classic and Kentucky Futurity before capping his season off with Saturday's victory.

Earlier, Yellow Diamond won the $731,158 Three-Year-Old Filly Pace - the richest of the eight championship races - while Proof Shes Gone, the 4-5 favourite, captured the $617,880 Two-Year-Old Filly Trot. And Pilgrims Taj claimed the $617,880 Two-Year-Old Colt Trot.

The top two-and three-year-old pacers and trotters in North America were showcased in the eight Breeders Cup finals.

Yellow Diamond, the 4/5 favourite with driver Jim Morrill Jr., took a two-length lead coming off the final turn and looked strong down the stretch. But she had to hold off a determined final run from Ginger and Fred to earn the victory by a neck in 1:51.2.

"I can't say how happy I really am," Morrill said. "It's always good to win a big race.

"It's just a pleasure to drive this calibre of horse again."

The victory was the 11th in 18 starts this year for Yellow Diamond, who was supplemented $62,500 for the race and is conditioned by Ontario-based trainer Tracy Brainard. Shanghai Lil finished third.

Proof She's Gone, co-owned by Toronto's John Fielding, captured the Two-Year-Old Filly Trot in 1:56.3. Ultimate Cameron, a 99-1 longshot, was second, with Tequila Slammer taking third.

Pilgrims Tag, with driver Mike Lachance of St. Augustine, Que., came up on the outside in deep stretch to secure the win by roughly a length in the Two-Year-Old Colt Trot in 1:57.1. Lucky Chucky the 4-5 favourite, was a close second, edging out Magic Fruit, a 60-1 longshot.