Cullen captures five at Grand River

Harness racing driver Travis Cullen won half the card at Grand River Raceway on Monday (Aug. 8).

He teamed up with mother Jodie Cullen for three of the victories, including the first with Wiggy (All Bets Off), who got up narrowly in the third race in 1:59.3. It was the two-year-old filly’s debut. They combined again in the fifth tow take the Fillies and Mares Preferred with Outlaw Imahotvixen (Blue Burner, 1:55.2). The mare reported first to every station and notched her 30th lifetime win.

OUTLAW IMAHOTVIXEN REPLAY

Travis Cullen then steered Raphael Bourassa trainees Autumns Passion (Shadow Play) and Better Kissthe Men (Betterthancheddar, 1:55) to victories in the sixth and eighth, respectively. The former’s win, timed in 1:57.3, was her first lifetime in three tries; the latter doubled up on her 2022 debut win that came on Jul. 26.

Cullen completed his quintuple with the Jodie Cullen-trained Jewels Dragon (Custard The Dragon) in the finale, who scored in 1:53.4. The six-year-old gelding reached a century of starts in the race day and increased his career win total to 23.

Travis Cullen is clicking at 15.3 per cent this season in 1,125 drives to date.

Cool Muscle (Muscle Mass) won the event’s Preferred Handicap trot by three-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:56.2 for driver Scott Coulter. The eight-year-old is now 19-for-66 lifetime and $6,993 short of a quarter-million dollars in earnings. Edward and Jessica Hayter own the gelding, with the latter performing training duties.

COOL MUSCLE REPLAY

Racing at Grand River Raceway continues at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10. A Preferred Pace headlines the 10-dash card.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink