'Major' Speedster To North America
One of the fastest horses to race downunder will be heading to North America within the month, but first he has a shot at a million-dollar event this weekend.
Majordan, whose six wins in 1:50 or faster is the most for a single horse in Australasian harness racing, is set to compete in Saturday's $1,000,000 Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park Menangle for trainer Kevin Pizzuto. Originally owned solely by cousins Gordon Banks and Marc Hanover of New York, Majordan (Art Major - Benelise) has had a 50 percent interest purchased by Ohio's Ned Hodkinson and Milton Leeman.
Fireworks are likely as Majordan and driver Todd McCarthy have been saddled with post eight in Australia’s biggest harness purse event, the $1 million Miracle Mile, with favoured Lochinvar Art drawing post seven to his inside.
Majordan comes into the Miracle Mile fresh off a scintillating wire-to-wire 1:50.7 track record-setting mile in last week’s Group 1 $100,000AUD Newcastle Mile.
With a summary of 30-11-14 in 93 career starts and $486,568 in purses, seven-year-old Majordan could surpass $500,000AUD in lifetime earnings in Saturday's Miracle Mile. According to co-owner Hanover, Majordan has been paid into many of the top North American stakes races for 2020 including the Canadian Pacing Derby.
A horse Hanover calls a "mile specialist" that "should suit North American racing to a tee," Majordan will report to the stable of Ohio-based trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. within the month.