Muscle Massive passes on Colonial, heading to Simcoe

Although seven of the 10 Hambletonian finalists will be lining up behind the starting gate for Sunday’s $500,000 Colonial Trot at Harrah’s Chester, the winning Muscle Massive won’t be one of them. Trainer Jimmy Takter told harnessracing.com Thursday morning that in his quest to “manage the horse best,” he decided to pass on the race and instead wait on the upcoming Simcoe at Mohawk Racetrack.

“I trained him 2:05 today, with a :58 last half, and he felt wonderful,” said Takter of Muscle Massive, who won the Hambletonian in a career-best 1:51 for driver Ron Pierce. “He came out of the Hambo really good.”

Takter said Muscle Massive, the richest ($969,655) and fastest (1:51) 3-year-old trotter in North America in 2010, will soon head to Canada for the Sept. 4 Simcoe. The trotter will then start in the Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations on Sept. 11, and hopefully advance to the $1 million final on Sept. 18.

Although Muscle Massive is remaining at Takter’s New Jersey farm, the Colonial field includes Lucky Chucky, a winner of his Hambo elim and then runner-up and beaten favorite in the $1.5 million final, and third-place finisher Wishing Stone. Pilgrims Taj and Cassis, who also won Hambo elims, are also among the starters.

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