Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Legend Horse of the Month for November 2009

Loyal Opposition
Dark bay filly by Cole Muffler--Tising Tising--Life Sign
P , 4 , 1:48.4M $2,861,294
Foaled March 1, 2000 at Big Rock, Illinois
Bred by Cottonwood Farm
Owned by Diamond Creek Farm, LLC of Paris, Kentucky

                         Loyal Opposition winning at Maywood Park, Chicago.

Of all of the fillies and mares that have graced our racetracks, one of the most "spirited" was Loyal Opposition, a daughter of Cole Muffler.

A "bargain" purchase $47,000 yearling in 2001, Loyal Opposition fearlessly tackled the toughest assignments over five grueling years encompassing 98 starts…and won on 56 different occasions, banking $2,861,294 in the process.

Seven times she paced miles in 1:50 or faster, with her best performance being a 1:48.4 mile at The Meadowlands in her four year-old year—2004.

A Dan Patch winner, as well the Pacing Mare of the Year on two occasions, she hit the racetrack at two showing, in her very first start, that she was meant to be a good one, pacing a :27.2 final panel capping a winning mile in 2:01.1.

At two, she was nearly perfect—14 for 15—with $886,230 to show for her efforts, thanks to a lucrative Prairie State bonus program. Her mark was a healthy 1:52.4 at Springfield and further proved her ability when she won Violet Final over Maywood’s half mile oval in 1:54.4.

At three, she earned seven more wins and lowered her mark to 1:50.4 over The Red Mile while banking almost a half million dollars.

It was in 2004, as a four year-old, when her 1:50 speed surfaced. A Maywood win in an astounding 1:52.1h in late May was the catalyst to send her east to The Meadowlands to tackle the big girls.

First, she won an Open event for mares, defeating the great Burning Point in 1:49.4. One week later, in the $238,600 Lady Liberty, Loyal Opposition wired together halves of :54 and :54.4 to whip Burning Point and Sure Sign in 1:48.4. She traveled north of the border, too, to Canada, where she took top honors in the $294,078 Milton Final at Mohawk and capped her season at Woodbine with a win in 1:50.2.

Loyal Opposition wound up her 2004 season with nine wins in 18 starts and another $472,660 on her card. She was voted Pacing Mare of the Year in 2005.

The wonderful bay then put on a repeat performance at five—being voted Pacing Mare of the Year again—on the strength of 14 wins in 20 starts.

Among her highlights were a sweep of the Overbid at The Meadowlands, including a 1:49.4 triumph in the final, a splendid 1:51 Breeders Crown win at Mohawk, a 1:49.4 win at Balmoral in the Ann Vonian on Super Night and a handy 1:50 win in the $318,910 Milton at Mohawk

Her final season was in 2006 where she garnered another dozen victories in 25 starts, $338,906 in bounty and yet another 1:50 miles to her credit, this time at Springfield where she paced her final panel in :26.1 to hit the wire in exactly that time.

Trained during her entire career by Erv Miller, Loyal Opposition was guided to the winner’s circle during her career by Andy Miller, Pat Berry, Dave Magee, George Brennan and her trainer, Erv Miller.

Loyal Opposition's Career Racing Statistics
Year   Starts Wins 2nds 3rds  Earnings      Record         Record Venue & Date
2006       25      12      3      4      $ 338,906      6, 1:50.0M      Spr 08/15/2006
2005       20      14      1      0      $ 673,525      5, 1:49.4M      M 03/25/2005
2004       18       9      4      4       $ 472,660      4, 1:48.4M      M 06/18/2004
2003       20      7      5      5      $ 489,973      3, 1:50.4M      Lex 09/26/2003
2002       15      14     1     0       $ 886,230      2, 1:52.4M      Spr 08/09/2002
Total      98      56   14    13    $2,861,294   4, 1:48.4M