WILKES-BARRE PA – The classy Cantab Hall gelding Crystal Fashion boosted his lifetime earnings to $2,033,918 with an easy 1:53.4 victory in a $22,500 Open trot under cold, windy, moist conditions at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday afternoon.
Jordan Stratton, the leading driver at Yonkers and the veteran’s regular pilot in his last few races, let Melady’s Monet and Scirocco Rob argue through a :27.3 opening fraction, then moved outside under the wire first time and had command by the :56.3 half. When the pair reached the three-quarters in 1:25.3 and opened some distance on his nearest rivals, it was all over but the shouting, and Crystal Fashion stayed clear despite drifting out a little, winning for the team of trainer Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms LLC.
The features for Sunday’s 5 p.m. program at Pocono are a $13,000 distaff pace and a $12,800 trot; on Monday, Memorial Day, there will be a 12:30 card featuring three divisions of high-class Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old trotting colts in a Sire Stakes event, plus aspiring sophomores in Stallion Series action. The program pages will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.