The New Jersey-sired trotting colt Muscle Hill, by Muscles Yankee, is projected to be the fastest rated three-year-old trotter in the nation this year, according to
harness racing’s annual speed ratings.
Another New Jersey-sired colt by Muscles Yankee, Federal Flex, was ranked third in the annual Experimental Championship Ratings compiled for the U.S. Trotting Association by harness racing expert Stan Bergstein.
The highest rated three-year-old trotting filly was the New Jersey-sired Windsong Soprano, by Windsongs Legacy, who was rated 10th overall.
Muscle Hill, who won eight of nine starts with one second-place finish and earnings of $817,301 in 2008, earned two-year-old trotting colt of the year honors as the winner of the Dan Patch Award from the U. S. Harness Writers Association and the Nova Award from Harness Tracks of America.
Muscle Hill, who took a mark of 1:53.3 at two, was given an experimental rating of 1:50.3 for his three-year-old campaign.
Southwind Farms in Pennington, NJ, recently purchased half ownership in the colt with plans to stand him at stud after his three-year-old season.
Federal Flex, winner of five of nine starts at two, with two seconds and a third, earning $479,167, had a two-year-old mark of 1:56.1. His 2009 speed rating of 1:51 trailed the second colt on the list, Explosive Matter (Cantab Hall), by only one-fifth of a second.
Windsong Soprano was rated as the potentially fastest trotting filly at 1:52.2 off a two-year-old season in which he took a mark of 1:53.4 with three wins in nine starts at earnings of $324,932.
The ratings list of 25 trotters who raced as two-year-olds is designed to compare three-year-olds with each other and with rated champions of the past. Projecting speed potentials for one mile on a mile track under ideal conditions, the ratings are based on comparative statistics, analyses, and evaluation by leading horsemen and Bergstein’s personal observations.
(New Jersey Sire Stakes)