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Mr. Muscleman | Standardbred Trotter

 

Talk about a giant bargain. This three-time divisional winner, two-time Trotter of the Year and record-setting multi-millionaire sold as a yearling for just $2,000.

Just two starts into his two-year-old season, Mr. Muscleman caught the attention of his present owners, Adam Victor and Son Stable, who purchased “Muscles” privately for $150,000 and sent him to Noel Daly, one of the top trainers in harness racing.

As a three-year-old trotting gelding, Mr. Muscleman set a new earnings record

In the fall of 2003, Mr. Muscleman won four races in just three weeks. He was voted 2003 Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year.

In 2004, winning the Maple Leaf Trot and American-National Stakes helped Mr. Muscleman earn the title of Older Trotter of the Year in both the U.S. and Canada.

Even rival trainers were impressed: 
“This horse is on top of his game; he’s one of a kind.
You’ve got to take your hat off to that horse.”
Trainer of Sand Vic


In 2005, five-year-old Mr. Muscleman set a record of 1:51.1 in the Titan Cup and Classic Series. In that year’s Breeders Crown Open Trot, a feisty “Muscles” showed his grit and determination. He was voted Trotter of the Year.

In 2007, seven-year-old Mr. Muscleman finished a close second in Sweden’s prestigious Elitloppe and won all four of his North American starts.

He had been a stoic athlete throughout a long and storied career, but wear and tear and persistent minor leg issues forced his retirement in 2008.

The members of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame elected him to their Living Horse Hall of Fame in December 2016.

With 37 wins out of 69 starts, Mr. Muscleman finished off the board only 8 times in 6 seasons of racing.

Notes

  • He retired as the richest active trotter in history.
  • Muscleman was the first trotting Standardbred for his Hall of Fame trainer, Noel Daly.
  • Muscleman was a very stoic equine athlete, which made it difficult for his trainer to discover minor injuries.
  • Before entering retirement at the Hall of Champions, Mr. Muscleman competed in horse shows, winning ribbons in both under-saddle and pleasure driving classes.

Notable Wins

2002: NJ Sire Stakes, The Harold Dancer
2003: Canadian Trotting Classic, Kentucky Futurity, Transylvania Trot, Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Trot
2004: Maple Leaf Trot, American National Open Trot
2005: A.J. Cutler Memorial, Titan Cup, Breeders Crown Open Trot, Maple Leaf Trotting Classic

Mr. Muscleman Facts

PEDIGREE / Muscles Yankee – Meadowbranch Irene

FOALED: 2000 | RETIRED: 2009

HALL OF CHAMPIONS / 2009

NICKNAME / Gentle Giant

ATTRIBUTES / Bay Gelding

BEST MILE / 5 years old, 1:51.1

MAJOR AWARDS / Harness Racing Hall of Fame, 2005 Trotter of the Year, Leading 1:55 trotter of all time (30 wins in 1:55 or faster), sixth leading money-winning U.S. bred trotter of all time

EARNINGS / $3.58 million

RECORD / 67 starts, 37-17-7

HEIGHT / 17.1 hands

TRAINER / Noel Daly

BREEDERS / Brittany Farms, Spar J Stables

OWNERS / Adam Victor & Son Stable

DRIVER / Ron Pierce