Stan Bergstein, chairman of the Living Horse Hall of Fame nominating committee of The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, has announced the results of recent balloting that determined the 2009 members of The Harness Racing Living Horse Hall of Fame

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Annual members (in good standing) voted for the two horses they felt exemplified greatness. Their choices are Muscles Yankee, who received 36 per cent of the votes cast, and Miss Easy, who received 22 per cent of the votes cast. Runners-up were Varenne with 18 percent of the votes, Real Desire (13 per cent) and Presidential Ball (11 per cent).

Induction ceremonies for these two extraordinary Standardbred racehorses will take place on Hall of Fame Day, Sunday, July 5, at The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame’s annual dinner. For information on the Hall of Fame weekend and other festivities surrounding this important occasion click here, write the museum at P.O. Box 590, Goshen, NY 10924, or call 845-294-6330.

Standardbreds are only eligible for nomination to harness racing’s highest accolade if they comply with the following strict criteria: They must be retired from racing for five years and had a drug-free career. In addition, racehorses must have won 70 per cent of their lifetime starts, or gone undefeated in a single season campaign of 12 or more races, or been the winner of $2.75 million lifetime or named Harness Horse of the Year (U.S. and/or Canada).

Stallions must rank among the 10 all-time leading money-winning sires at their gait or have sired at least 100 $200,000 winners or been a leading money-winning sire at his gait in three or more seasons.

Broodmares are automatically elected if they have produced a $1 million winner and two other winners of $500,000 or produced a Harness Horse of the Year (US and/or Canada) and another $500,000 winner.

(Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame)