Displaying no ill effects after being away from the races for almost a month, Resolve powered down the road to an easy one-length win in the $200,000 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial Final for trotters at The Meadowlands on Friday night (June 24).

The five-year-old son of Muscle Hill's last start came in the May 29 Elitlopp at Solvalla (Sweden) when he finished second to Nuncio.

“The horse was very good,” said winning trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt. “He came back home [from Sweden] and it took him two weeks to get back to normal.”

Too bad for his foes.

Resolve, the even-money favourite, was sent away fast from post seven and had the lead at the quarter in :27.1.

Svanstedt did a masterful job of rating the second fraction, which was timed in a sleepy :30 as they hit the half in :57.1. Obrigado, the 2-1 second choice fresh off wins in the Maxie Lee and Hill Memorial, vacated the four-hole at the seven-sixteenths and grinded his way into contention at three-quarters, which went in 1:25.4.

Then Svanstedt hit the gas and Resolve responded with a final quarter of :26.3, leaving Obrigado behind while opening up a safe lead. Flanagan Memory, who went a third-over trip, closed well through the stretch to end up a no-threat second. Obrigado held third. Early-season sensation JL Cruze was fourth.

Resolve trotted the mile in 1:52.2 and paid $4.20 to win. He is owned by Hans G Enggren.

HAIL THE QUEEN: Medusa won her second straight $25,000 Open Handicap Mares Pace in determined wire-to-wire fashion for driver Brett Miller and trainer Andrew Federico Jr. The five-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight went the mile in a lifetime-best 1:49.2 and paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favourite.

STILL GROWING: The fifth race 20-cent Jackpot Super High Five did not have a single-ticket winner, increasing the carryover to $20,452.28, while the 11th race version of the wager, unhit since the beginning of the meeting in November, saw its carryover swell to $264,140.15. Both pots of gold will be up for grabs on the next program. Live racing resumes at the Big M Saturday at 7:15 p.m.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)