Cool Muscle ($7.10) blitzed from astern on the second circuit and ground down Lefkada to claim top honours in Wednesday's (June 24) featured event at Grand River Raceway, the $11,500 Preferred 2 and 3 Handicap Trot.
After landing eighth in the nine-horse field on the first turn, Scott Coulter angled Cool Muscle third-over behind the cover of Magic Night (Ed Hensley) while Lefkada (Scott Wray) worked to a :58.1 midpoint lead. As Magic Night failed to keep up with Lefkada in the outer tier, Coulter switched Cool Muscle three-wide with three furlongs to go — and he vaulted forward at once. The six-year-old Muscle Mass gelding charged alongside duelling leaders Lefkada and Whiskey Tax (Scott Young) on approach to the final turn and took over nearing the eighth pole.
Cool Muscle easily dismissed of Whiskey Tax, but Lefkada fought on at the pegs the lengths of the stretch. Ultimately, Cool Muscle prevailed by a half length over Lefkada in 1:57.2, while the fading Whiskey Tax — another seven lengths back — held third.
Trainer Edward Hayter co-owns Cool Muscle, now an 11-time winner, with Jessica Hayter.
In the sub-featured $8,500 Fillies and Mares Preferred 3, Casimir Swamp Girl ($5.40) overcame significant traffic trouble to earn the 15th win of her career. After getting caught behind a weakening Rockin Mystery on the final turn, the four-year-old Up The Credit mare wedged between rivals with three-sixteenths to go and charged up the open stretch to collar Lifelong Dream and Three Accounts in 1:57.1. Colin Kelly drove Casimir Swamp Girl for trainer Kyle Bossence and owner William Pendleton.
To view Wednesday's complete results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Grand River Raceway.