by Jeff Renton, Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, February 9, 2004… With a confident rush off the wings, Muscle Power, hailing from trainer Ted MacDonnell’s operation, made the lead early and was a well wrapped up winner in the C$57,900 final of the Don Mills Series Monday evening at Woodbine.

WEG photo.

Muscle Power was an easy winner in the Don Mills Series Final at Woodbine.

Resembling a Thoroughbred affair at points, no less than five of the reduced field of nine were running at one point or another during Muscle Power’s mark-lowering, gate-to-wire jaunt.

Timed in 1:57.1, the mile held fractions of :28.4, :58.2 and 1:27.1 before Muscle Power (a four-year-old gelding) was slipped into cruise control through the 30-second final frame.

After hosting both Steve Condren and Paul MacDonell in the bike during the opening legs, Muscle Power, a Muscles Yankee—Promised Crown bay, was teamed up with Canada’s Driver of the Year for 2003 in the final, Chris Christoforou.

The duo hit it off right from the get go.

“I really liked it when I saw him go off there,” said MacDonnell, of Muscle Power leaving hard from the wings. “That was the only concern I had. I had told Chris that he would know behind the gate just what he [Muscle Power] is like when you head out of there; if you have to nurse him or not. Obviously he didn’t have to be nursed and he was good.”

Fosse, Muscles Dream, Mr Garjangles, Swagger and Dyno Trevor (the post time favorite) all made breaks in the mile.

In the clear at the wire, Muscle Power ($25.00, $9.70, $7.30) posted a 4¼ length margin for his sixth career triumph (his first of the year). Deadmans Curve ($6.60, $4.60) aided a solid $125.70 exactor, while Swagger ($6.30), rebounding from a gate miscue, got into the $976.10 triactor.

” I scored him out a little bit because he felt a little bit tight,” said Christoforou, of Muscle Power’s warm-up during post parade. “[He] loosened up a little around the turn and got going. When you watch him in the race he seems to do it really easily.”

Muscle Power has missed the board only once this year (5-1-2-1).

Owned by a group consisting of Ontario’s Northorn Stable, Noblock Racing Stable and Brian Boyce along with David Reid of New York, Muscle Power now sets his sights on Woodbine’s General Brock Series, which gets down to opening leg action on February 26.

A Pair of C$16,000 second leg divisions of the Blizzard Series highlight Woodbine’s Thursday evening program of racing. The splits have been carded as races four (8:37 pm) and six (9:15 pm).

First race post time is 7:40 pm.