FLEXING MUSCLES
MUSCULAR week for Muscles Yankee with Mr. Muscleman almost effortlessly setting an all time Canadian Standard of 1:51.1 in the Trotting Classic, and HOUSETHATRUTHBUILT commencing defense 2004 filly of the year title with a handy debut in a filly Classic division. She’ll have to deal with Canadian champ Peaceful Way who was equally impressive in the other filly division.

Muscles also accounted for a pair of Casual Breeze winners, the most impressive being BLUR in 1:55.2 for Trond Smedshammer. We’ll be taking an Andover Hall bother to Blur named Don’t Blink Twice to Harrisburg in November. In addition he had a quartet of NJSS winners including MUSCLE MEMORY (Peace be with You) and HER CULESE (Flirty Two) The Harrisburg group will also include YANKQUILITY and TORREOGRAPHY full sister and brother to Muscle Memory and Her Culese respectively.

MARK OF A SIRE
So often the true mark of a sire is when one of his headliners falters for whatever the reason, and another one immediately takes over which is precisely what happened with Artiscape in the Woodbine Pacing Classics. Super daughter Rainbow Blue (Vesta Blue Chip) was again dominant in 1:49.2 but this year’s most prominent male pacer to date Maltese Artist (Hula Dancer)) was somewhat less than that. However, still another Artiscape offspring Escape The Wind (Chicole) wound up wiring that stellar field in 1:48.3 as Maltese Artist faded to fourth following a pocket trip More and more it looks like Artiscape has entrenched as Artsplace’s #1 siring son.

CONGRATULATIONS DEAN AND NICOLE.
There’s a changing of the guard at HOOFBEATS with the very capable Nicole Kraft assuming the executive editor’s position and long time pal and colleague Dean Hoffman assuming the position as Director of Strategic Planning within the USTA.. Two extremely bright minds and both should thrive in their new roles!

Really enjoyed the June Hoof beats issue particularly those discussions with Shapiro and Hoge and the Jerry Riordan visitation. Riordan discussed at length differences and similarities between American and Italian racing citing preliminary entries as a major differential. Seems in Italy trainers can enter races, survey the competition and scratch in the event conditions are not favorable. That’s similar to the thoroughbred method and there is merit to what might be termed no malice scratching. While it would be a bit of a paperwork pain, the end result from a betting standpoint would be that horses are not forced into becoming reluctant competitors. We all know the evils that stuff begets.

Richard Shapiro and Bill Hoge offered some enlightening commentary about returning fans to racetracks- required reading for all of us.

Bill Hoge struck a huge chord citing how racing officials failed to inquire why his attendance record dwindled from constant to infrequent. Certainly can relate there having spent about a quarter century in which the pursuit of the next winner took precedence over anything else in life. Can honestly cite when as Paul Simon so eloquently versed “slip sliding away” from the nightly betting and handicapping scene that the very next racing official to inquire why-will indeed be the first! And with all those Top Trotter, Orange Horse and OTB Blue Sheets selections, there were times I had to be among the most influential harness handicapping voices in New York.

So often it again it seems that the way it was back in the glory days is the way it probably should be with the emphasis tilted towards the sport rather than the business. Certainly the way it’s evolved leaves much to be desired.

CLASSIC CONTROVERSY
Is it true that the regular starter was not in the car for that Classic fiasco which resulted in a second tier #12 horse Life Source starting on the gate crowding the designated #2 Eaton Road Kill out of position?. The fallout from this inspired protests from the ownerships of Life Source who was disqualified after finishing second and Eaton Road Kill who was declared a non starter due to the positional alterations. Wonder if this unfortunate incident may ultimately prove the catalyst towards the eventual abolition of tiers and trailers. In this era of :26 quarters broken down to sometimes sub :13 opening eighths all noses belong on the gate.

Not sure if it’s a chronic condition but Life Source did require outrider assistance prior to actually embarking for the starting gate and once underway was visibly headstrong with driver George Brennan virtually parallel in the bike.

For the record Life Source finished second but was disqualified for being out of position and placed last. Which understandably invoked a protest. Unfortunately if allowed that would involve a retroactive changing of finish which regardless of official lapses does not occur in other sports. Moreover a retroactive reversal is not applicable to the betting public whose tickets become operative or inoperative the moment official results are posted. They don’t change Super Bowls because of missed calls and most players would agree they shouldn’t change race results either. Some undoubtedly still have the residuals from the Savilla Lobell affair way back when.

Help me Howard Beissenger! Who was that trotting colt of yours taken down retroactively after it was determined an official missed an on the spot call? Well remember the furor resulting from that scenario and always felt you got a raw deal there.

Regardless of how justified any complaint may seem it is still a disservice to those bettors whose tickets are no longer redeemable after the fact.

WOODBINE LIGHTNING
Would seem that Woodbine which was once well over one second slower than The Meadowlands is on a par these days if not even faster. That was GROOVIE DAY, a Gothic Dream $40 claimer winning the 13th race last Friday in 1:49 without being more than tad urged- if at all. And get this. He took the lead at the half in:54, hit three quarters in 1:21.4 and drew out in:49. You see this at The Meadowlands in the early races under summer daylight conditions but this was a lot closer to midnight than it was to twilight..

Bet they’ll be watching Groovie Day next time he starts.

AND MORE MUSCLES
MOTAOVATIONAL (Muscles Yankee-Super Dreamer) was impressive Wednesday in 1:54 setting a New Jersey Sires Stakes record for 3-year-old.trotting fillies. HER CULESE (Muscles Yankee-Flirty Two) came along way to be 2nd. The next night MUSCLE BOUND (Muscles Yankee- Habit) served notice he’ll be a force to reckon with winning his NJSS colt division in 1:55.3. About an hour earlier it was MUSCLE MEMORY (Muscles Yankee-Peace be With You) again this time winning his second NJSS event in 1:55.1.

And today Friday, DIESEL DON (Muscles Yankee-Yankee Blondie) won his qualifying debut by in 1:56.3

Several DREAM VACATIONS go in the Meadowlands Baby Races including Jack Parker’s WILDWOOD DAYS (Flash Of Dignity)

Check him next week

Bob Marks