Full Of Muscles springs 18-1 upset in feature trot

CHESTER PA – Full Of Muscles, a Muscle Mass gelding who had last raced at Yonkers on August 6, came back to the races strongly for harness racing trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. to win the $16,000 top handicap trot Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia in a lifetime best 1:53.

FULL OF MUSCLES REPLAY

Hey Porter yielded the early lead to the winner, who in turn surrendered the top to race favorite Little Expensive towards the :27.1 quarter. The chalk passed the next striped pole in :55.3, then had Super Duper Cooper, last week’s winner in this class and assigned the outside in the field of eight, pressure him raw to and past a 1:24.3 three quarters, with Full Of Muscles in prime position.

In the stretch it was the pacesetter and not the grinder who gave way first, but as Super Duper Cooper got a slim lead Porter had Full Of Muscles in high gear quickly, and he outfooted the first-over by a length. Full Of Muscles, now a winner of $348,836, is owned by David Linker, Brian Loman, and Robert Venable.

The demise of Little Expensive, the even money favorite who finished fifth, helped cause a Superfecta carryover with the first four finishers being Full Of Muscles (18-1), Super Duper Cooper (3-1), Hey Porter (7-1), and Clear For Landing (20-1).

The $13,000 fast-class handicap subfeature saw Outside The Fire overcome the dreaded tuck-the-first-over journey, grinding down the pacesetter and then keeping potential pocket rocket Bright Side Up at bay by two lengths in 1:53.2. Johnathan Ahle sat behind the victorious Cantab Hall gelding, whose career earnings are now $490.432, for trainer Enrico Robinson and Pollack Racing LLC.

The Father Patrick sophomore filly Misty Blue won her first three starts upon joining the barn of Philly’s leading trainer Joe Bongiorno, but made a miscue in her last start. All system were back to “go” on Thursday in a $13,500 contest for developing diamondgaiters, as driver Austin Siegelman put the distaff on the lead, got a soft middle half then sprinted home in :28.2 to stay clear of first-over challenger Captainforlife AS by 2¼ lengths in 1:55.1 for El Dorado Stables, one of the hottest outfits around.

George Napolitano Jr. topped the horsemen’s colony with three sulky victories; doubles were turned in by drivers Mark Herschberger, Trae Porter, Austin Siegelman, and trainer Enrico Robinson.

Pacing mares will be in the spotlight for the Friday card at 12:25, with a $14,000 feature slotted for the eleventh race; the racing week then concludes Sunday at 12:40. After that, Philly will be dark for live racing the following week; the trotters and pacers at the southeast Pennsylvania oval on Thursday, October 8. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia