Michael Jackson on the Race for #1

Michael, the late superstar’s second official posthumous release (after last year’s This Is It soundtrack), hit retail Tuesday, and first-week sales estimates are now between 225-250k for the album.

That would put the Moonwalker in a vigorous three-horse race with Sony stable mate Susan Boyle’s still-reigning The Gift and Big Machine frisky colt Taylor Swift’s Speak Now for #1 on next week’s sales chart.

Those totals are based on one-day sales reports from those hardy music retailers who haven’t abandoned their stores to set up Christmas tree lots.