Miss Muscle (Muscle Mass) went coast to coast in her division of the co-featured trotting events on Thursday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel to complete a double for trainer-driver John Stark Jr. Stark’s Miss Muscle lasted on the lead as her race’s even money betting favourite on Thursday to score in 2:01.2 through a light snow in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. It was the sixth win on the season for the three-year-old filly.

Jeters Way (Muscles Yankee) also went wire-to-wire in an $11,000 division of the co-featured races for New York-sired trotters. One of the nominees for Three-Year-Old Trotter of the Year at Saratoga this season, Jeters Way had little difficulty recording his eighth victory in the 2018 campaign when he scored in 1:59.3, the fastest time among the winners of the matinee’s co-features.

While in somewhat limited starts, Stark enjoyed a strong 2018 season thanks in large part to his group of young trotters, some of which were on display on the Thursday card. Jeters Way and Miss Muscle teamed up for fourteen victories this season. Phil Fluet’s Lady Macbeth (Deweycheatumnhowe) prevailed in the other co-feature on the card, toughing out a first-over journey to win in 2:00.2.

Live harness racing continues on Friday night as we head into closing weekend for the season at the Spa. First post time on Friday is set for 6:45 p.m.

(Saratoga)