Concentration is key for Wellwood pupil Muscle Dynasty

When it comes to physical talent, Muscle Dynasty checks all the boxes for trainer Paula Wellwood. When it comes to focusing on his work, though, the 3-year-old trotter leaves Wellwood scratching her head.

Muscle Dynasty is one of 20 Hambletonian-eligible horses entered in Friday’s opening round of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old male trotters at The Meadowlands. The colt, who won last year’s New Jersey Futurity, competes in the third of three $25,000 NJSS divisions.

For his career, Muscle Dynasty has won three of 15 races and hit the board a total of seven times. He has gone off stride in seven starts, including his most recent on May 7 at The Meadowlands against a field of mostly older rivals in a conditioned event.

“He has all the tools, but he doesn’t have a brain to go with them,” Wellwood said. “It’s concentration, that’s all it is. He’s got all the attributes. He doesn’t do anything wrong, he’s a lovely horse, but his concentration will lapse. It’s aggravating because he’s such a pleasure.

“Talent-wise, it’s there. Whether we can get the brain to match, I don’t know.”

Muscle Dynasty, named Storm The Hill originally, is by Muscle Hill out of Miss Liv. He was purchased for $55,000 at the 2019 Lexington Selected Sale and is owned by Dreamville Stable, which is Wellwood, her husband and training partner Mike Keeling, son Devin Keeling, and mom Jean Wellwood. The family shared the experience of winning the 2016 Hambletonian, and subsequently the Trotting Triple Crown, with Marion Marauder.

Wellwood has tinkered with Muscle Dynasty’s equipment in the hopes of improving the colt’s focus, but nothing has clicked.

“He was like this last year,” Wellwood said. “We gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought he would grow up, but he hasn’t. Every day is a new day in his world. What happened yesterday is gone.

“He takes nothing seriously. He’s just like a big kid and he doesn’t want to mature. It’s not there yet anyway. He trains good, he’s a sound horse, he’s a big, strong horse. If the switch gets flipped, he’s going to be a very, very nice horse.”

Muscle Dynasty faces seven rivals Friday, with six eligible to August’s $1 million Hambletonian, including 2-1 morning-line favorite Take This Society from the stable of trainer Nancy Takter.

In the first division, Cuatro De Julio is the 9-5 favorite for trainer Marie Ortolan Bar. Ake Svanstedt’s Lindysmusclemania is the 5-2 favorite in the second division. That field also includes Valley Victory winner Bee Forever and Peter Haughton Memorial champ Zenith Stride.

The Meadowlands on Friday also hosts two 11-horse divisions of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old female trotters. Seventeen of the fillies are eligible to August’s Hambletonian Oaks, including Wellwood-trained Limoges.

Limoges, who is in the second NJSS division, made her career debut on May 3 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. She was three-wide around the final turn and last at the top of the stretch but closed strongly to finish fourth, beaten by only one length.

She missed last season because of an injury.

“We were just ready to qualify her when she had a crack in a knee and we had to quit,” Wellwood said. “But she always showed ability. She was very good gaited, wanted to do her work, and had some speed. She had all the attributes needed. We gave her a lot of time and, knock on wood, we have no issues right now.”

Limoges is by Trixton out of Spice Queen. She was purchased for $40,000 at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Dreamville Stable. She is a half-sister to Grand Circuit winner Dancing For Money, who is the dam of O’Brien Award winner Dip Me Hanover. Wellwood shared a connection with both those horses, either as trainer or owner.

“We’re very happy with her,” Wellwood said about Limoges. “She’s grown up and gotten stronger, she just doesn’t know anything. She’s so very green. But she is getting it. I think when she figures it out, she’s going to be OK.”

Imhatra AM S, trained by Marcus Melander, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the second NJSS division. Eazy Pass, from the stable of Nifty Norman, is the 9-5 favorite in the first.

Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EDT) Friday at The Meadowlands.