COLUMBUS, Ohio - Hambletonian and Breeders Crown winner Muscle Hill was voted top three-year-old trotter and 11 other horses earned Dan Patch awards as divisional champions Monday.
Muscle Hill, trained by Greg Peck of Sydney Mines, N.S., won all 12 of his starts in 2009. He was a unanimous choice in voting by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
The trotter, pacer and horse of the year winners will be announced Feb. 28.
Canadian-bred and owned Poof She's Gone was named the two-year-old filly trotter of the year. The horse was bred by Tara Hills Stud of Port Perry, Ont., and is owned by Melvin Hartman of Ottawa as well as Herb Liverman, David McDuffee and John Fielding, all of Toronto.
Broadway Schooner, trained by Jim Campbell of Ailsa Craig, Ont., captured the top three-year-old filly trotter award.
Canadian-owned Sportswriter was the two-year-old male pacer of the year. The horse is owned by Steve Calhoun of Chatham, Ont., and West Wins Stable, also of Cambridge. Trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald also are both from Cambridge.
Sportswriter won seven of eight races this season and amassed earnings of $815,680 and also posted a world record time of 1:49.2 at Mohawk Raceway.
Muscle Hill, named on all 173 ballots, also won the Kentucky Futurity, Canadian Trotting Classic and World Trotting Derby. The colt set a season earnings record for a trotter or pacer with $2.45 million in purses.
Driven in all but one start by Brian Sears, Muscle Hill equaled the all-age world record for trotting on a mile track when he won the Hambletonian in 1:50.1 on Aug. 8.
Muscle Hill has been retired with a record of 20 wins in 21 starts.
Undefeated Muscle Hill, Well Said win harness awards as top three-year-olds
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Published on
December 29, 2009
- Published on February 24, 2010
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The Associated Press ~ staff The News
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