Tough Muscle eclipsed the $100,000 seasonal earnings plateau with his seventh win of the year, but his first in Open company. The four-year-old son of Musclesprinctonian graduated through the condition ranks to earn a spot in the $23,000 Open at Dayton Raceway and responded with a 1:53.3 victory on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Driver Chris Page decided to blast off the gate and front the parade of seven top notch trotters through an opening panel in :27.2. Unpressured throughout, Tough Muscle hit subsequent teletimers in :56.4 and 1:24.2 before completing the featured mile with a three-length advantage. Talk About Valor (Travis Seekman) and Lane Of Stone (Jeff Nisonger) were next to cross the finish line.
Owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Tough Muscle has now earned $102,015 in 2022 and $174,225 in his 53 lifetime starts.
Racing resumes Wednesday at Hollywood Dayton Raceway and continues on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule through Dec. 30. Post time is always 4 p.m.
(Dayton Raceway)