Hoosier Park Driver Ricky Macomber will vie for the title in Saturday’s $500,000 Hoosier Cup at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino

. The event, which is Indiana’s richest harness race, is slated as the 13th race on the 14-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. The Hoosier Cup has an estimated post time of 4:57 p.m.

Macomber, part of the Fab Five at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, has driven in many of the big events in the state of Indiana in the past. He is a two-time winner in the $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational, but a victory in Saturday’s Hoosier Cup would be a first for the 37-year-old reinsman.

“I’m always excited about racing in the Hoosier Cup, even though I have never won it,” said Macomber. “There are about seven or eight horses that are pretty equal in the race and I think my horse (Sheer Desire) has as good a shot as any in the field.”

Macomber has been chosen to drive Sheer Desire for the Ron Burke Stable. Sheer Desire turned heads last fall when he recorded a new world record for two-year-old pacing geldings in a time of 1:49.3 in the Bluegrass Stake at The Red Mile. The son of Real Desire, who won the race in 2001, will begin his journey from Post 7 in the field of 12 starters for the Hoosier Cup.

“It will be pretty tough,” said Macomber. “I wish I could have drawn a better post position, maybe the four or five, but you just have to play it by ear. I’ve watched him (Sheer Desire) race a couple times over at The Red Mile. He looked really good when I watched him, so we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”

Macomber began his driving career in 1997, winning his first race at Pompano Park before venturing to Hoosier Park. He has been among the top 10 drivers in the state since his arrival and picked up national attention when he guided Royalflush Hanover to victory in the 2001 Dan Patch Invitational. Macomber returned in 2002 to retain the title behind E Dees Cam. He now has more than 1,500 career wins. He won the leading driver title at Hoosier Park in 2007 and is currently in second place behind Peter Wrenn for 2009.

Sheer Desire comes to Indiana off an eighth place finish in the $300,000 Hempt Final after winning his elimination the week before. He will be making his fourth start of the season in the Hoosier Cup and has garnered four wins in seven career outings for Burke Racing Stable, Randy Ringer, JJK Stables and Lawrence Karr.

At odds of 6-1, Sheer Desire is the fifth choice on the morning line behind Barber Pole and Brad Hanners, who are the early favourites for the race. Trained by George Teague Jr., Barber Pole comes to Indiana with two wins in three starts for 2009 and the fastest win time of the group in 1:49.0 taken two starts back. The Badlands Hanover colt has only finished worse than second once in eight career starts for Gary and Barbara Iles of Harrington, Delaware. Barber Pole will start from Post 12, which is one of three second tier starters in the race.

The Hoosier Cup field in post position order with driver and odds includes: Doubletrouble (Mark O’Mara) 8-1, Vertigo Hanover (Jody Jamieson) 4-1, River Shark (Daniel Dube) 10-1, Nittany Linebacker (Jason Dillander) 15-1, Sams Escape (Don Eash) 20-1, Annieswesterncard (Ron Pierce) 3-1, Sheer Desire (Ricky Macomber Jr.) 6-1, Standupnkissme (David Miller) 6-1, Mr Wiggles (Corey Callahan) 7-2, Chasin Racin (Peter Wrenn) 7-2, Nob Hill High (Aaron Merriman) 12-1, and Barber Pole (Brad Hanners) 5-2.

(Hoosier Park)