The Breeders Crown and Peter Haughton Memorial winner Muscle Hill, a winner of $817,301, who has a mark of 1:53.3, will stand at Southwind Farm in Pennington, NJ when the world champion two-year-old concludes his racing career.
Allen and Connie Skolnick own Southwind Farm and are joining the current owners, Jerry Silva and Thomas and Louis Pontone, according to trainer Greg Peck.
“Southwind Farm has purchased a significant interest in Muscle Hill,” Peck said. “What really makes me proud about that is that they stood Artsplace, Valley Victory, the paternal grandsire of Muscle Hill, and also Chocolatier, now. Allen and Connie Skolnick will fit very well with the team involved.”
Muscle Hill has won eight of nine starts, with one second place finish; he was also the New Jersey Sire Stake Final winner. Peck added that shares have already been purchased by Bill Weaver. “He (Weaver) bred Valley Victory and Chocolatier, and is one of trotting’s premier breeders.”
The horse will remain in training with Peck at White Birch Farm near Allentown, NJ and the syndication process is underway.
“With Southwind, you have a premier breeder, and when you get breeders involved like Bill Weaver, you’re talking about individuals who believe in excellence,” Peck said. “Dr. Steve Dey came and looked at him for a client, he liked him so much he’s going to take a share in the syndicate.”
There is no definite time frame for the horse to move from the racetrack to the farm,” Peck said. “That’s something we’ll discuss next year. There’s nothing definite that says he will or won’t race past three. The partnership and I will get together and we’ll decide when the time comes.
“Right now, my mission is to put him in position to be his best for the Hambletonian. I have always dreamed of that and that’s what I’m thinking about now – the ‘09 Hambo. I’ll be consulting with people like Harry Harvey and Ray Schnittker, who brought successful two-year-olds back to a successful three-year-old career,” Peck said. “We’ll cover all generations.”
(Harness Racing Communications)