American Fashion stomped uncovered to the front through the back half and still produced the field’s fastest last quarter to win her fifth straight race in a Dayton Raceway optional claimer on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

After lying off the gate at the start, Tyler Smith slotted the seven-year-old mare in fourth with Lightning Frenzy (Kayne Kauffman) on top to a :27.1 quarter. American Frenzy got her cue when flushed out nearing the half in :56.1, and she gained around the second turn to draw even with Lightning Frenzy at three-quarters in 1:25.3 before pushing past the pacesetter into the final bend. She trotted away to a two-length edge at the top of the lane and rolled to the wire to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:55.2. The Great Emotion (Jeremy Smith) charged three-wide from third-over for second, and Countryofmars (Koltin Noble) also closed for third.

American Fashion travelled from her home base in Indiana to take her fifth straight win for trainer Henry Graber Jr. and owners Richard Smith and Tipperary Horse Blankets. The daughter of Crescent Fashion-American Breeze is now 16-for-128 lifetime and has earned $231,867. She paid $4.80 to win. 

Lethal Legacy and driver-trainer Hugh Beatty survived an early five-wide battle and held off a late charge from Castro (Brett Miller) to capture the featured $23,239 conditioned feature trot. When the wings folded, five horses left aggressively in an early fracas, and Lethal Legacy emerged with the lead nearing the quarter in :28.3. Water Slide (Tyler Smith) was the first to pull and advanced to second before passing the grandstand on the way to the half in :58.

Lethal Legacy and Water Slide raced stride-for-stride down the backstretch and passed the three-quarter marker in 1:26. Around the final turn, Lethal Legacy opened a comfortable advantage, but Castro mounted a furious late rally. At the wire, Lethal Legacy held on by a neck in 1:55. An Honest Buck (Luke Hanners) completed the triactor.

The winning sophomore gelded son of Muscle Hill-Lady Lakewood is owned by Roger Wallace and Larry Riffe. He is now two-for-23 lifetime. The win price was $8.20. Beatty enjoyed a productive evening, recording two driving wins and two training victories on the 14-race program.

Driver Cameron McCown continued his hot streak, winning three races on the card to make it six tallies over the past two race nights. McCown steered Vel Lets Be Fair to a 1:57 victory in a conditioned claiming pace. Racing from mid-pack at the half, McCown found room down the backstretch and launched a rally that wore down 51-1 longshot Romeos Lady (Jeremy Smith) in the final strides to score by a half-length. The betting favourite, War Cry (Kayne Kauffman), finished third. Vel Lets Be Fair is owned by trainer Larry King's King Racing Stable. McCown's other victories came aboard Tonic Treasure (1:53.4, $11.20) and Liberty Biberty (1:53.3, $4.40).

Not to be outdone, Tyler Smith also registered a driving triple, winning with American Fashion, Huntinformischief (1:53.3, $2.40), and Galen Erso (1:54, $2.40).

Racing action at the Dayton oval continues on Wednesday and Thursday. First post is 4 p.m. each day.

(Standardbred Canada & Dayton Raceway)