At 13, Mainland Key N probably has reached an age where he’d rather kick back, nosh carrots and binge-watch Season 3 of Mr. Ed. But trainers keep claiming him — he’s performed for eight of them this season alone — so the old boy keeps working… and keeps producing.

In fact, when he goes forward in Saturday’s third race at the Meadows, he’ll be looking to edge closer to $900,000 in career earnings, an impressive bank account for a hard knocker. He’ll start from Post 8 for Dan Rawlings and owner/trainer John Sullivan. First post for the card will be at 1:05 p.m.

Mainland Key N had 26 starts and a little more than $20,000 on his card when he was imported from New Zealand. He sparkled stateside and competed against some of the best. The son of Shiney Key-Eastwood Bluejeans enjoyed his finest season in 2011 when he banked more than $200,000 and sprang a 32-1 upset in a leg of the prestigious George Morton Levy Series. He’s taken season’s marks at five different venues — Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, Harrah’s Philadelphia, the Meadows, Yonkers Raceway — indicating that he never had to take his racetrack with him to succeed.

While he’s stayed largely sound, diminishing speed has forced trainers to race him where he can win — in claimers. That’s how he ended up in eight stables this year — 10, if you count the two stints each for trainers Kevin Johnson and Marcus Marashian. Sullivan grabbed him October 6 for $10,000.

“I wasn’t concerned that he’s 13,” Sullivan says. “He still has a whole year to race, and he’s pretty sound. I had a couple other horses in for $10,000, and this guy was always beating me. He’d already earned about $50,000 this year, so I figured he had to be worth $10,000. He still starts 30 to 40 times a year, and he’s definitely a classy old horse. He has to be, to have made that kind of money.”

Mainland Key N has seven wins this year and has hit the board in 21 of 33 outings, but he’s had little recent luck with post positions. Counting Saturday’s race, he’s drawn Post 6 or deeper for nine of his last 10 races, which has prompted Sullivan to make a change.

“He loses interest when he gets away towards the back, so I dropped him to the $7,000-$8,000 Claiming Handicap. Sure enough, he drew Post 8 again.”

Sullivan, by the way, has become something of the go-to guy for geriatrics. He also trains nine-year-old Thiswayorthehighwy, who’s banked $212,651, and Sam Hill, a fan favourite who at age 12 has earned $634,827 and continues to compete in fast classes.

“I try to get them back together and do what I can for them,” Sullivan says. “I think I’ve helped a couple of them. They have bumps and bruises, so you have to pick your spots when you train them. But they’re warhorses. They know what to do.”

(Meadows)