After sustaining a first-over press to win last week, Muscle Matters ($3.50) called all the shots in a repeat Preferred 2 Handicap score on Wednesday evening (Jan. 17) at The Raceway at Western Fair District, parrying a late bid from Seeyou Men to capture his second straight $11,500 feature in Forest City.

The seven-year-old Muscle Mass gelding was able to move in one position from his assigned outside post with the scratch of Pop I, and an early break from pole sitter Aplomb Hanover enabled Muscle Matters to only have to clear four rivals on approach to the first turn. He did just that, gunned to the fore by Bob McClure as the latch sprung, and the pair controlled strong early splits of :28.2 and :57.4 while Seeyou Men (Robert Shepherd) tracked intently from an earned pocket.

Fluff Me Up (Brett MacDonald), who was initially slow to advance in the breeze after angling out from third with eleven-sixteenths to go, worked into a joint second midway up the backstretch on the second occasion, narrowly took second outright midway on the far turn after forcing a 1:27.1 three-quarter sectional, but was rebuffed by Muscle Matters off the corner for home. A three-wide bid by Hldontghttoyurdrms (Travis Henry)—a co-winner in the feature a fortnight ago—proved fruitless as well, leaving Seeyou Men the lone danger once room availed at the sixteenth pole. Undeterred and fully extended, Muscle Matters held his ground to prevail in 1:58.4 over good going by half a length over Seeyou Men. Charmbo Chrome (Nick Steward) stayed on to take third over the tiring outside pair after saving ground throughout.

Trainer Benoit Baillargeon co-owns Muscle Matters with Nunzio and Santo Vena along with Richard Thompson. The win was the fourth in six races for Muscle Matters—all at the Preferred 2 level, and the 18th of his career.

In the sub-featured $8,500 Preferred 3 trot, Wildwild Men ($8.70) pounced from the pocket to narrowly collar longshot pacesetter Musical Spell in 1:59.3. Robert Shepherd drove the five-year-old Muscle Mass gelding for trainer Isabelle Darveau and owner Catheline Pelletier.

To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair District.