Mister Muscle won the Open Trot five times last season after coming to Saratoga Casino Hotel late in the summer. The Melissa Beckwith trainee opened up his 2020 campaign with a pair of Open victories prior to the quarantine shutdown. On Monday afternoon, making his second start back since the break, Mister Muscle (Muscle Mass) had Shawn Gray piloting as he got a pocket trip in the $8,500 trotting feature. Last week’s Open winner Waiting On A Woman (Phil Fluet) once again cut the mile this week and clicked off a first half in 57.1. Challenger Stone In Love (Brian Cross) charged up first-over past three quarters in 1:26.2 and served as a threat to Waiting On A Woman. All the while, Mister Muscle was waiting for open road in the passing lane. The six year old trotter surged up the rail and got by Waiting On A Woman before stopping the timer in 1:55.4 to record his third Open victory of the season. Waiting On A Woman came up second-best while Stone In Love earned the show spot. Mister Muscle paid $7.50 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $57.50 and $305.50, respectively. The victory was one of two on the afternoon for the track’s defending leading trainer Melissa Beckwith and also served as one of three wins for Gray in the sulky on the Monday card.
Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon with a matinee beginning at 12 Noon.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino
