Wiggle It Jiggleit goes out in style

Almost exactly one month after Triple Crown winner American Pharoah put the finishing touches on his horse of the year campaign by winning the Breeders Cup Classic in emphatic style, Wiggle It Jiggleit sealed his status as harness racing's horse of the year by winning the Hap Hansen Progress Pace at Dover Downs on Monday night.

A sophomore son of Mr Wiggles ownedand trained by George Teague, Jr of Rainbow Blue fame, Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) easily lived up to his role as the 1-9 favorite in the $300,000 Hap Hansen Progress by leading throughout in 1:48.2 for his 22nd win in 26 starts this year, pushing his seasonal earnings past $2.15 million.

Like American Pharoah, Wiggle It Jiggleit delivered a dominant performance in his season finale. Away  alertly from post six to gain command in a 26.1 opener, Wiggle It Jiggleit rolled by the midway mark in 54 flat, disposed of first over pressure from Cane Pace winner Dealt A Winner by three-quarters in an eye-popping 1:20.4 and widened his advantage through the lane to score in 1:48.2.

Wiggle It Jiggleit won 22 of 26 starts for "Team Teague" in 2015, including major stakes scores in the Meadowlands Pace, Little Brown Jug, Battle of the Brandywine and now the Hap Hansen Progress Pace. He will garner three Dan Patch Awards next March - champion three-year-old pacer, pacer of the year and horse of the year. During the same year in which American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, Wiggle It Jiggleit enjoyed a similarly dominant campaign among Standardbreds.