Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — It is easy to understand why trainer Noel Daley was happy to hear that Hambletonian winner Muscle Hill will head to the Midwest for a few weeks of racing. Daley’s Explosive Matter has lost only four times in his career, with three of the setbacks being second-place finishes to Muscle Hill.

“That was good news for everyone out here,” Daley said, laughing. “We all think it’s a hell of a good idea. It gives everyone else a shot to get some money.”

Explosive Matter’s next chance to get some money is in Sunday’s $500,000 Colonial at Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack in Pennsylvania. The field includes the second- through fifth-place finishers behind Muscle Hill in last weekend’s $1.5 million Hambletonian: Explosive Matter, Calchips Brute, The Chancellor, and Symphonic Hanover.

“He seems pretty good; he’s nice and bright,” Daley said about his colt, who is driven by Ron Pierce and owned by the Adam Victor & Son Stable. “I wasn’t looking for a race right back, but the money is too good and he doesn’t have to race for another three weeks after that (in the Canadian Trotting Classic).”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Caretaker Emma Pettersson gives Explosive Matter a bath.

Explosive Matter has won eight of 12 career races, including a division of the Historic-Dickerson Cup and the 2008 Matron Stakes, and earned $849,993. He was second to Muscle Hill in the Hambletonian, the Breeders Crown, and a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial. He has raced twice at Chester, winning both, and is 5-for-5 on five-eighth-mile tracks (like Chester).

“I’m not saying he’s unbeatable by any means; things happen,” Daley said. “But he does look the best in there. He just needs to be up to his usual self.”

As for the Hambletonian, Explosive Matter was six lengths behind Muscle Hill’s world-record-equaling 1:50.1 mile. However, Explosive Matter’s time of 1:51.2 was only one-fifth of a second behind the previous stakes record set by Glidemaster.

“It is what it is,” Daley said. “We got the trip I wanted and we weren’t good enough. That answered the question. We always knew (Muscle Hill) was very good, but I think he surprised everyone with how good he was. There was never any question he was a good horse; he’s just a very, very good horse.”

Following is the field for the $500,000 Colonial. Horses are in post position order with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Copy Catch, John Campbell, Jimmy Takter; 2. Explosive Matter, Ron Pierce, Noel Daley; 3. Photoforwin, Rick Beinhauer, Beinhauer; 4. The Chancellor, Andy Miller, Julie Miller; 5. Keystone Activator, George Brennan, Jim Raymer; 6. Russell Hill, John Campbell, Jimmy Takter; 7. Symphonic Hanover, David Miller, Jonas Czernyson; and 8. Calchips Brute, John Campbell, Trond Smedshammer.

Copy Catch won a division of the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial on July 10 at Tioga Downs; Photoforwin won the William C. Connors Memorial on July 11 at Hazel Park; The Chancellor was second to Muscle Hill in the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship; Keystone Activator won a division of the Arden Downs on July 30 at The Meadows; Russell Hill won the Empire Breeders Classic on May 25 at Vernon Downs; Symphonic Hanover was second to Muscle Hill in the 2008 Peter Haughton Memorial; Calchips Brute is a multiple New Sire Stakes winner.