Flex The Muscle set a new track record for four-year-old trotting stallions in winning the featured Open Trot on Friday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

. The race carried the night’s top purse of $30,000.

Leaving from post position No. 4 as the 3-1 second betting choice, Flex The Muscle, driven and trained by Ray Schnittker, grabbed the pocket trip early behind pacesetting favourite Winning Mister. That proved to be the place to be, as Winning Mister set blistering fractions up front while Flex The Muscle kept covered up on a chilly, windy night. In the stretch, Schnittker guided the stallion past the leader to win in 1:52.4 by one and a quarter lengths. Winning Mister settled for second while And Heez Perfect picked up the show.

The time of 1:52.4 topped the previous Pocono mark for that age group of 1:53, set by P J Clark in August 2010. Flex The Muscle, sired by Muscles Yankee, won for the first time in three starts this year. It was also his 14th career victory, as his lifetime earnings went over the $500,000 mark with the career-best winning performance.

(Pocono Downs)