IT’S MUSCLES GALORE
Quoting Carl Becker’s famed SIGNATURE stretch call! The MUSCLES YANKEES were coming from EVERYWHERE to win the major trotting stakes this week.

At Freehold, STRONG YANKEE (Muscle Yankee-So So Chic) proved a very STRONG wire to wire winner in the YONKERS TROT by several lengths in 1:56.1. About an hour earlier, DODGER BLUES (Muscles Yankee-Vernon Blue Chip) the full sister to Blue Mac Lad absolutely demolished her HUDSON TROT rivals winning by some 20 lengths in 1:56.2

Earlier at Indiana Downs MISS WISCONSIN (Muscles Yankee-Classical Beth) validated her Merrie Annabelle SUCCESS with a handy score in the Lexington Selected Sale Stake while one day later at the Indiana State Fair Grounds SMOOTH YANKEE (Muscles Yankee- A Babe) took the Horseman Stake by open lengths.

On Sunday at Syracuse, MUSCLE MEMORY (Muscles Yankee-Peace Be With You) breezed in his Zweig Memorial division in 1:55.2 while a couple of races earlier HER CULES (Muscles Yankee-Flirty Two) took a Zweig filly division in 1:55.3

And at Mohawk, MUSCLES MARINA (Muscles Yankee-Chili Bowl) solidly tuned up for next week’s Breeder’s Crown defeating Nat Ray winner HELLUVA HUSH rather handily in 1:53.1.

As usual the Muscles Yankee colts and fillies will headline our consignment to Harrisburg in November.

GREAT CROWD AT FLAMBORO
Great to see the sea of heads (almost 10,000 strong) jamming Flamboro Downs for Confederation Cup night as hometown hero American Ideal (Western Ideal-Lifetime Success) put on outstanding show capturing the final in 1:50.3. This year Harrisburg offering contains a quartet of outstanding Western Ideal prospects including DIMATTGIO the colt from as Sweetheart winner MATTARONI. Then there’s ARTRIVERDERCI (Roman Art) the first foal of a 1:52 Artsplace close cousin of Art Major and Worldly Beauty. Also WESTAVERDE (Paula Promise) the first Western Ideal from a sister to Economic Clout p,3,1:51.3 . And there’s the Western Ideal filly WEST INDIA (Steamy Place) first foal from a full sister to The Firepan.

VOLOMITE RESURGENCE
Have ya noticed the renaissance of the Volomite line lately?

First is was Balanced Image and then ABC Freight he of course through his son Garland Lobell who has since branched out through Conway Hall, Angus Hall and the anticipated Andover Hall. Conway Hall already has two significant sons in Broadway Hall and last year’s Triple Crown champion Windsong’s Legacy.

And now there’s S J’s Photo a line bred Volomite through Photomaker, his sire Yankee Bambino and that one’s sire Hickory Pride. S J’s Photo’s dam is by Kawartha Mon Ami a son of Super Bowl.

S J’s Photo has one promising son in S J’s Caviar who’s getting plenty opportunity in Pennsylvania and another son the recently acquired Classic Photo will get his opportunity next year.

In New York, Credit Winner, the leading son of American Winner has been coming on noticeably of late. Then of course there’s Malabar Man a line bred Volomite though sire Supergill and dams sire Meadow Road.

What this means is that there are now plenty of options for the preponderance of Valley Victory-Speedy Crown mares including our own REVENUE who wound up breeding 165 mares this year.

Historically the breed has a way of resurrecting itself as who would have thought the Adios line would come back they way it has. From Henry T Adios to Silent Majority to Abercrombie and the Artsplace-Life Sign tributaries that followed, the Adios line once facing extinction is alive and flourishing these days. In addition Bret Hanover left a son named Warm Breeze who in turn got Falcon Seelster who in turn got McArdle and ELSU in New Zealand assuring the vitality of that line especially in the Southern Hemisphere.

Looks like Town Pro has herself a real nice filly in DARLINS DELIGHT by first crop sire Bettors Delight impressive in The Molly Pitcher at Freehold in 1:54.3.

The Jersey Classic yearlings are up from Kentucky and will be available for inspection y NEXT week. Please call ahead so we know approximately what time to expect you.

Bob Marks