Rebounding from his first defeat this year in the Maple Leaf Trot, Lucky Jim was simply awesome for driver Andy Miller, crushing the top open trotters in harness racing with a 1:50.1 track and world record effort in $300,000 Nat Ray Free For All Invitational Trot on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands
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All 10 trotters got off to a smooth start with Lanson (Mike LaChance) darting to the lead from the three hole, challenged there by Glen Kronos (Lufti Kolgjini) through the :27.4 opener. As Lucky Jim settled into fourth in front of San Pail (John Campbell), Lanson stretched out Glen Kronos to the lead. Once Glen Kronos cleared, Miller pulled Lucky Jim from fourth and cleared to the lead at the :55.2 half.
The race was basically over from this point as Miller opened some daylight on the field as Lanson pulled out from third with San Pail spotted third over behind Chick N Tell (Ron Pierce). After the 1:23.1 third quarter station, Miller and Lucky Jim pulled away from the field with a 27-second closer and asserted his dominance over this group with a 1:50.1 open-length awe-inspiring effort.
Glen Kronos raced gamely to finish best of the rest while Gift Kronos (Dan Dube) found room late to grab third ahead of San Pail and Lanson.
"He was great in Canada, but he came back here and showed the horse that he is," said Andy Miller after the race. "He's just awesome. He's as good as he's ever been and he did that pretty handily."
Miller went on to say that Lucky Jim would be shut down for the year after the Breeders Crown later this month.
Lucky Jim (SJs Photo - Hawaiian Sierra) is now 16-for-17 on the season with 13 straight wins at the Big M for trainer Julie Miller and owners David & John Prushnok of Punxsutawney, PA and William Gregg of Indiana, PA.
When Bob Heyden asked co-owner John Prushnok if Lucky Jim could return to this form next year, Prushnok replied "I don't see why he can't."
Stay tuned to the SC website for full coverage of harness racing's Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands.
To view the results, click here.