Muscles flexed at Pompano

Muscular ($2.40) flexed his muscles and pulled away from the field at the three-quarters to win the $10,000 Open Trot at Pompano Park Monday by two open lengths in 1:56.3.

The race saw Guys Gets Girl and driver Bruce Ranger leave from post six to take the early lead by the opening quarter mile in :28.4 with Muscular and owner-trainer-driver Dave Mercer sitting the two-hole trip. As they passed the half-mile mark in :58.3, Mercer pulled the pocket with Muscular and they muscled their way alongside pacesetter Guys Gets Girl and passed them by before the three-quarters in 1:27.4 and then trotted away from the field in the stretch for the victory.

Newcomer SL Sharp Score (Mark O’Mara) was second with Muscle Boss Vita (Kevin Wallis) third.

It was the 10th win this year for Muscular, a 6-year-old stallion by Muscles Yankee.

Trojan Hero, the longest shot in the field at odds of 57-1, scored an upset victory Monday in the sixth race $7,200 trot, winning by a nose for driver-trainer Rick Schaut and paying $116.60 to win, $33.80 to place and $5.60 to show.

Sweeping three wide in the backstretch from seventh place, Trojan Hero continued to pass horses and caught the race leader in mid stretch, then barely held on at the wire to win over Dee Day Fame (Wally Hennessey) with Lovin For Money (Ranger) finishing third.

It was the third win this year for Trojan Hero, a 4-year-old stallion by Carry The Message, who is owned by Bruce and Patricia Soulsby of Powell, Ohio. Trojan Hero covered the one-mile race in 1:58.2. (Pompano Park)

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