Julie Miller endured some difficult moments with trotters Mets Hall and Prospect Hill during the winter and spring, but in the past two months the trainer’s trepidation has turned to jubilation.
Mets Hall, who struggled with health woes, heads to Saturday’s $169,183 Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park off of a win in the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Open Trot and a second-place finish in the Hambletonian. Unraced prior to mid-July, the colt’s $456,773 in purses rank 10th among all horses in North America despite tying for the second-fewest starts (six) of any horse in the top 50.
“He was a bit of a challenge,” Miller said. “We had to iron out some kinks on his road back. He’s a little bit behind the curve, not starting as early as most of the others, but I couldn’t be any happier with how he is racing. We just have to hope it continues. He’s just fought through his issues and he loves to race.”
Prospect Hill, who battled maturity issues, heads to Saturday’s $253,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship for two-year-old male trotters at the Meadows with a five-race win streak since a third-place debut. He is the sport’s fourth-richest two-year-old male trotter, with $130,167, and tied for the fifth fastest, with a mark of 1:55. Coupled with stablemate Klutzy in the PASS final, Prospect Hill is the 7-5 morning-line favourite.
“He’s been a pleasant surprise,” Miller said. “He always had talent and ability, but would kind of lose focus and act like a typical juvenile out there on the track. He’s got a refined body and nice gait, but he wasn’t always thinking about trotting; he was all boy out there. But he’s blossomed into a nice horse and done well.”
Mets Hall, owned by Stroy Inc. and Andy Miller Stable, came into 2018 with high expectations after winning five of 11 races last year and finishing second in the Breeders Crown for two-year-old male trotters, but was plagued by soundness issues. Miller consulted with numerous veterinarians and revamped the colt’s training program to get him back on track.
Mets Hall (Ken Weingartner / USTA)
“I’m very fortunate,” Miller said. “I had three or four of the top vets in the country give me guidance. Andy and I kept talking about his training regimen. We put him in the (swimming) pool and changed up how we do things with a trotter. We had to try other things and it seemed to work.”
Mets Hall, with Andy Miller in the sulky, is the 5-2 morning line favourite in Saturday’s Simcoe Stakes, which is the final prep for the Canadian Trotting Classic (eliminations Sept. 8; final Sept. 15). The 11-horse field also includes You Know You Do (7-2), Lawmaker (9-2) and Alarm Detector (5-1). The race is part of a Woodbine Mohawk Park card that includes the Canadian Pacing Derby and Maple Leaf Trot.
For his career, Mets Hall has won seven of 17 races and earned $723,908. The son of Cantab Hall-Mets Inn finished second to Atlanta in the Hambletonian before winning in a career-best 1:52 in the Zweig, where he led gate-to-wire and fought off a challenge from Six Pack before holding off Manchego by a nose.
“We really targeted the Hambletonian with him,” Miller said. “To get second, we were very pleased. And to race in the Zweig and hold off Six Pack and Manchego that last quarter, I was really proud of him. I don’t think he prefers to race on the front, but he can. I think he’s more of a grinder. But it’s however the race unfolds.”
Prospect Hill, a son of Muscle Hill-Louise Kemp, was purchased for $130,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Stroy Inc. He finished third to Peter Haughton Memorial winner Dont Letem in his debut, but has since won five in a row – a division of the Pennsylvania All-Stars followed by four divisions of the sire stakes. His most recent victory was by a neck, but the rest were by at least one length.
Prospect Hill (Ken Weingartner / USTA)
“He leaves the gate so effortlessly,” Miller said. “Andy said he’s really comfortable on the front. I’m just happy he doesn’t seem to have to exert a lot so far to race at this level.
“And when a horse has come at him, he’s responded well. Twice he’s done that. I’m glad that he’s game and gutsy. Instead of throwing in the towel, he wanted to put his head back in front and win. You like to think you teach them that, but I think it’s all on their own. They have to want it and he wants it.”
The Meadows will host all four Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship for two-year-olds. On Sunday, the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono hosts the four PASS finals for three-year-olds. Morning line favourites at Pocono are Phaetosive in the female trot, Kissin In The Sand in the female pace, Crystal Fashion in the male trot, and Dorsoduro Hanover in the male pace.
(USTA)