On Wednesday, Tom Dillon of Anson loaded his horse trailer and headed north to Presque Isle to race his three year-old trotter in the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS). Tomorrow, he will head without his trailer in a southerly direction to The Meadowlands to watch another of his three year-old trotters race in a stakes race.

Wednesday saw Tom's horse emerge victorious. Current Closer did just that to the deal. On Saturday he hopes to win with another sophomore of his, Hot Shot Blue Chip. Wednesday he captured 50 percent of the $9,730 purse. Saturday afternoon he goes after a purse of $1.5 million.

Almost forgot, Saturday's race is The Hambletonian, perhaps the most prestigious trotting race in the world. One thing is certain, it has the largest purse of any trotting race in North America.

Tom Dillon started in the harness business about a quarter of a century ago, when he bought his first horse Manpower, a pacer, who by Tom's own admission "was no good."

Fast forward to three years ago in Harrisburg, PA, where the final annual horse sale for the year is held. Tom bought a weanling colt named Hot Shot Blue Chip for $20,000 and raised the youngster at his farm. When the horse reached the end of his yearling season, Tom turned the training duties over to the patriarch of Maine's conditioners, Donnie Richards.

Donnie says he's the fastest horse he's ever driven," says Dillon, "but getting him to trot was, and still is, something of an experience. Before we moved him to his current trainer, Donnie went the final trip with him and he made only one break in the mile. Donnie said that was as good as he could do, so we sent him along. He doesn't make breaks because he's hot, rather because he's stupid.

But his elimination heat (for The Hambo) gave me hope. After all, he was parked the full mile and still finished a close-up second. We'll see on Saturday."

When asked how optimistic he is, Dillon admitted his elimination heat gave him hope.

Since The Hambletonian changed its format -- formerly a horse had to win two heats on the same afternoon -- to winning just the one race on Saturday (eliminations were held a week ago), the breed has changed. Whereas the focus used to be on power  and endurance, today it favors speed. As a result, the horse capable of trotting the fastest mile on Saturday will emerge the victor.

To that end, Dillon feels he has a better chance, especially given his horse's proclivities for going offstride.

He went a flat mile last week, so maybe he can duplicate the same effort. He's a lot better now than he was," says Dillon. "And I know last week he was well within himself, so maybe . . . "

If he wins tomorrow , then his price will skyrocket, and Dillon would face another challenge: keep him or sell him.

Then, if he were to win, Dillon will secure a $750,000 check for the winner's share. That money could reach all the way from the George Washington Bridge to Tom's farm in Anson.

BITS, BOOTS, & BRIDLES: Three division of the MSBS colts and  geldings and fillies raced last week at Presque Isle . . . The winners of the colts and geldings: Berry's Revenue owned by Bill Blumhager; Bill Varney's Pembroke Nick; Linwood Wiggins and Tom Perkins' Katahdin Boy . . . On the distaff side: Ival Cianchette's Tellajet; Bill Varney's Pembroke Playmate; John Riggins Stables' Drammatic Breeze . . . In the sophomore division for trotters, the distaff side saw Bill Varney's Pembroke Annie and Mike Andrew's A Capella Bella win. while the male contingent featured Tom Dillon's Current Closer and Doug Hutchins and Paul Kinnear's Quinn Quickly . . . next week, the Maine-breds visit Topsham and Scarborough . . . tomorrow The Meadowlands features a full-card of stakes races in addition to The Hambo . . . also, NBC will televise its one harness (actually two) race of the year, starting at 4 pm and going for an hour . . . for anyone thinking of buying a horse, the Maine Breeders just might have something for you; plans are in the works for a drawing to select people to purchase a Maine yearling with the aid of the breeders . . .