No Hambo for Sylvester

Four-time Hambletonian winning trainer Chuck Sylvester told harnessracing.com Friday morning that he will be watching this year’s trotting classic from the sidelines and that his Hambo-eligible colt Muscles To Spare is not ready enough to tackle the division heavyweights.

Muscles To Spare finished second Thursday night at the Meadowlands, losing to Hambletonian-eligible Man About Town by 1 ¼ lengths in a 1:53.4 mile with John Campbell driving. It was the colt’s second lifetime start, following a career-opening 1:57.2 victory over a “good” track in a conditioned race at the Meadowlands July 12.

“He had a broken knee as a 2 year old,” explained Sylvester. “He stood in the stall for a long time, and swam for a long time. He just now got ready. I think he’s a good horse but I don’t want to ruin him. He needs another month.”

Muscles To Spare is a son of Muscles Yankee out of the mare Savvy Yankee. A $55,000 yearling purchase by Sylvester, Troy Sylvester, Neal Goldman and Chuck Sylvester’s daughter, Amy Lynn Stoltzfus, Muscles To Spare is a full brother to 2004 Hambletonian-elimination starter Rocky Balboa and Muscles In Blue, one of 2004’s top freshman trotters. Muscles In Blue died in December 2004 as a result of an infection brought on by an ankle injury.

Sylvester added that he is hoping to start Muscles To Spare in the American National at Balmoral Park in August, followed by the World Trotting Derby at Du Quoin in early September.

“He’s got talent,” said Sylvester. “That was a big start for him last night for his second lifetime start.”

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