East Rutherford, NJ (My Sportsbook) - Leading three-year-old trotter Muscle Hill has been installed as the 3-5 morning-line favorite for harness racing's marquee event, the $1.5 million Hambletonian. Saturday's one-mile trot at The Meadowlands will be televised on NBC.

Muscle Hill, trained by Greg Peck, will start from the inside post in the ten horse field, with Brian Sears again driving. The colt is coming off a victory in one of three Hambletonian elimination heats last Saturday. Also winning elimination heats last week were Symphonic Hanover and Explosive Matter.

"Last week after leaving hard with him from the rail he was a little aggressive," said Sears. "I was glad to remind him that we can race off the pace and he did it well."

Muscle Hill has won his last 12 starts, including four this year. Voted the 2008 champion two-year-old trotting colt, the favorite for the Hambletonian has career earnings of $1,072,376 with 12 wins in 13 starts.

"Every time Muscle Hill does something special it surprises me," noted Peck, "and that gives you more of a sense of confidence."

The colt is owned by Jerry Silva, TLP Stable, Southwind Farm and Muscle Hill Racing.

The complete field for the 84th Hambletonian in post position order: Muscle Hill, Brian Sears, 3-5; Explosive Matter, Ron Pierce, 5-1; Symphonic Hanover, David Miller, 8-1; Hot Shot Blue Chip, Mike Lachance, 10-1; Triumphant Caviar, Luc Ouellette, 15-1; Calchips Brute, John Campbell, 30-1; Reinsman Hanover, Tim Tetrick, 30-1; The Chancellor, Andy Miller, 30-1; Federal Flex, Jody Jamieson, 8-1 and Judge Joe, D.R. Ackerman, 15-1.

The Hambletonian is the first leg of trotting's Triple Crown, which also includes the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity. There have been nine Triple Crown winning trotters, the last being Glidemaster in 2006.

The Hambletonian has a scheduled post-time of 4:15 p.m. (et).