Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Muscle Mass Remains Undefeated

In American National at Balmoral Sunday

September 16, 2007

Freshman world champion Muscle Mass was dominant in Sunday night’s $115,000 American National stake championship for two-year-old male trotters, finishing almost 10 lengths the best for driver Brent Holland.

The overwhelming 1-5 favorite’s 1:56.3 winning mile was his second consecutive track record performance at Balmoral Park.

The victory extended the son of Muscle Yankee’s unbeaten streak to five in a row. Maxter, the 7-2 second choice, came on to be a distant second best behind the Erv Miller trainer winner, while the 40-1 longshot Viking Defender took third, two more lengths further back.

MuscleMass

Muscle Mass & driver Brent Holland

Atom Hall (Todd Warren) shot out from the nine-slot and grabbed the early lead, with the one-hose Celebrity Phantom grabbing the pocket and Holland dropping Muscle Mass in the third-slot, However after a soft :29 first quarter, Holland took Muscle Mass out and after the lead. They got there at the :58.3 half-mile marker.

Muscle Mass ($2.60) followed with a :29 third quarter and kept widening the margin in the lane, trotting a :28.3 final panel without any urging from Holland.

“We settled in pretty well and tonight I moved when I thought it was the right time,” said Holland. “He was feeling nice and strong. Last week that horse (Atomic Hall) kept us out but we beat him. I thought tonight he’d turn us loose. Once my horse cleared, this race was all over.”

Last month Muscle Mass became the fastest freshman trotter on a mile track with a 1:53.4 mile at the Springfield State Fair and it came in only his second career start.

The $52,900 winner's share of the purse almost doubled Muscle Mass's first season earnings to $160,000 for his New Jersey owners Perretti Racing Stable and Black Horse Racing.