Crescent Fashion, with Ricky Macomber, Jr. at the lines, scored in impressive fashion in his Hoosier Park Racing & Casino debut as he shattered a four-year-old track record for older trotting horses in a conditioned trotting event on Tuesday, July 4.

Stopping the timer in 1:52.1, Crescent Fashion scored his first win of the season and also established a new lifetime best in the process.

The previous track record of 1:52.3 was established by Uncle Peter and David Miller in the 2013 edition of the Centaur Trotting Classic. The time also marked the third track record that has been equaled or lowered over Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths mile oval in 2017.

Sent off as the heavy betting favourite from post three in the talented field of nine, Crescent Fashion was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in fourth. Shawnee Valley and Brandon Bates were the first to get a call and led the field through the opening panel in :27.1. Macomber, Jr. gave Crescent Fashion the green light down the backside and he quickly grabbed command just before the half in :56.2. Crescent Fashion continued to call the shots through the third panel in 1:24.2 while the rest of the field was struggling to stay within striking distance.

As the field turned for home, Crescent Fashion looked strong on the front. Bridge To Jesses and John DeLong were closing strong on the outside but had too much ground to make up at the end of the mile. Utilizing a :27.4 final panel, Crescent Fashion coasted on to the wire and finished a length and three-quarters in front of Bridge To Jesses. Shawnee Valley held on gamely for third place honours. As the heavy betting favourite, Crescent Fashion returned $3.40 to his backers at the betting windows.

“I was very impressed with his effort tonight,” trainer Jamie Macomber noted. “We were expecting a solid performance but not a track record performance. He has been nothing but class since arriving in Indiana and is a pleasure to have in our barn. I look forward to racing him again.”

Trained by Hoosier Park’s current leading trainer, Jamie Macomber, Crescent Fashion notched the first win from six seasonal starts and his ninth lifetime victory from 38 outings. The five-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Fashion Feline has now amassed $456,196 lifetime for owners Let It Ride Stables, Mr. D. Parham, and T. Grossman.

Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Wednesday, July 5 with a 14-race card featuring the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for three-year-old trotting fillies.

With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing at Hoosier Park will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 17. The 24th season of live harness racing is highlighted by the 34th edition of the Breeders Crown, harness racing’s championship event valued at $6 million, on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28. For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule, please visit www.hoosierpark.com.

(Hoosier Park)