Trot Insider has learned that two-year-old world champion Hes Watching has been shut down for the year and now has new ownership interests.

A fifty percent interest in the undefeated son of American Ideal-Baberhood, owned by trainer David Menary along with Ontario's Brad Gray and Michael Guerriero, has been sold to Muscara Racing Trust of Ivyland, Pa. The Muscara family currently owns numerous race horses and also stand stallions Art Official, Mach Three and Mister Big.

This season Hes Watching put the racing world on notice of his ability, setting world records at Tioga Downs (1:50) and Yonkers Raceway (1:52.2). He also set track records at Buffalo Raceway and Vernon Downs and tied the track record on a rainy night at Batavia Downs. He concluded his two-year-old season with earnings of $291,722.

Complete details of the transaction, including the price, were not revealed but Menary confirmed that the current owners would have controlling interest of Hes Watching as a racehorse for the next two seasons and that the Muscara Racing Trust would have controlling interest of Hes Watching as a breeding stallion.

“This is a good deal for everyone,” said Menary. “We are happy to have partners like Joe Muscara and his family on board. We had a great team when we started out with the colt and now the team is even better.

Menary told Trot Insider that the connections didn't feel supplementing Hes Watching to the Matron at Dover Downs was a wise decision for the colt, so with nothing else on his plate Hes Watching was shut down early in hopes that it will benefit him for what's sure to be a highly-anticipated sophomore campaign.

“I am sorry that Hes Watching was not staked to the Breeders Crown this week and can’t be supplemented. We turned him out but he was in perfect shape to keep on racing. He will be staked right for next year and we plan to be in all of the big dances."

Hes Watching was purchased by Menary as a yearling for just $3,000, a purchase that made him the focus of a Trot Magazine August feature article.

“When I first bought him at the sale he was a June foal and a little small. He is still growing and I am sure will fill out more this winter. What he lacked in size he made up for in speed, heart and ability and he’s not done growing yet. I like to compare him to Foiled Again.”

“We are very happy with this deal,” said Robert Muscara of the Muscara Racing Trust. “Hes Watching has so much potential for the future. Two world records, eight for eight racing this year and we can’t wait to see what happens next year. We are also very happy with Dave Menary, Brad Gray and Michael Guerriero as partners. They were great to deal with on the sale. It’s going to be very exciting next season.”

On the breeding side, Hes Watching’s pedigree, despite his bargain basement yearling sale price, shows four strains of the great broodmare K Nora -- through Hes Watching himself and Western Ideal via the champion mare Leah Almahurst, plus through American Ideal and Life Sign via the world champion mare Three Diamonds.

Also in his breeding is that there are duplications of Leah Almahurst and Three Diamonds that are sex-balanced (i.e. appearing via both a son and a daughter). There are also sex-balanced duplications of Abercrombie, Adios, Good Time, Knight Dream, Meadow Skipper and No Nukes. Hes Watching also has eight daughters of Tar Heel (six of them unique) in his sixth generation. That makes Hes Watching’s pedigree one of a possible real champion for his future stallion duties.

(with files from HarnessLink)