Heading into this year, owner Richard Gutnick was uncertain whether Market Share was a Hambletonian-type colt. With each passing week, he is beginning to think the horse deserves a shot at trotting’s grand prize.

Market Share, who was five-for-five on the small half-mile oval at Freehold Raceway in 2011, has shown the ability to step up on the big tracks in recent weeks. He won a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes at the Meadowlands Racetrack – home of the $1.5 million Hambletonian in August – in 1:53.1 before finishing third behind Little Brown Fox and Guccio in the final.

Last weekend, Market Share won his elimination for Saturday’s $351,000 Goodtimes Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario by one and a quarter lengths over favourite Beer Summit in 1:53.2. Knows Nothing, unbeaten in five lifetime starts, captured the other elim by one and a quarter lengths over favourite Guccio in 1:53.4.

“If you would have asked me a month ago if I’d be putting [Market Share] in the Hambletonian I would have said it’s unlikely,” Gutnick said. “He’s a small horse going against bigger horses on a bigger track. We knew he was excellent on smaller tracks but had no clue about bigger tracks.

“When he raced in the New Jersey Sire Stakes [division] and won it by nine lengths in 1:53.1, that’s when we knew he could do it on a big track. He’s not a real big horse; he’s at the small end of average size so we had no clue what he could do on a mile track.

“Now we think we have one that’s competitive with anybody out there that we’ve seen.”

Market Share, trained by Linda Toscano, has won eight of 11 career races and earned $111,035. Toscano also trains Gutnick’s Chapter Seven, who won last season’s Breeders Crown for three-year-old male trotters and was fourth in the Hambletonian.

A son of Revenue S out of the mare Classical Flirt, Market Share was purchased for $16,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. He is a half-brother to Photogenic Legs, who finished second to Costa Rica in the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship for two-year-old filly trotters in 2009, and his dam is a full-sister to stakes-winner Celebrity Athena.

Last year, Market Share won all five of his races, but was never challenged (combined winning margin of 25-1/2 lengths), so Gutnick and Toscano were unsure where he stood. At one point, he was given time off because of some growing pains.

“I have a philosophy,” said Gutnick, who owns the colt with Gary Cocco. “If you don’t wait on a horse, they make you wait even longer.”

Having enjoyed success last season with Chapter Seven, who is getting ready for his four-year-old campaign, Gutnick is often asked to compare Market Share to his Breeders Crown champ. He feels they share just one trait, but it’s an important one.

“What they have in common, is they both love to win,” Gutnick said. “This one just loves to win. He’ll try his heart out.

“He has to work harder while Chapter Seven was so naturally gaited and had world-class speed. Chapter Seven is world class, and they are few and far in between.”

That’s taking nothing away from the low-key Market Share.

“I don’t think he knows he’s a stud,” Gutnick said. “He’s got a great personality; his groom Shelly loves him to pieces.

“When he goes out there, he does it matter-of-factly. He comes back after a race and he yawns. She said he takes everything in stride.”

Even if striding along a different path from Chapter Seven a year ago, Market Share could still provide a great trip for Gutnick and company. In addition to the Goodtimes and Hambletonian, Market Share is staked to the Breeders Crown, Yonkers Trot and other top events.

“Chapter Seven was meant to be a great horse,” Gutnick said. “With Market Share, however we end up is fantastic, just for him to be competitive where he is. It’s a great experience and a thrill two years in a row to have horses that are competitive with the top horses.

“They always say lighting never strikes twice, but this year it seems to be.”

Here is a look at the field in post position order for Saturday’s $351,000 Goodtimes, with listed drivers and trainers:

1. Lindys Jersey Boy, Brian Sears, Frank Antonacci
2. Il Mago, Trevor Ritchie, Rod Boyd
3. Knows Nothing, Jody Jamieson, Jeff Gillis
4. Market Share, Tim Tetrick, Linda Toscano
5. Scary Good, Scott Zeron, Antonacci
6. Prayer Session, Dave Magee, Bobby Brower
7. Beer Summit, Ron Pierce, Mike Vanderkemp
8. Guccio, Jimmy Takter, Takter
9. Gym Tan Laundry, Jack Moiseyev, Vanderkemp
10. Mikey Hanover, Paul MacDonell, Mark Steacy