by Ayers Ratliff, Northfield Park Publicity Department

Northfield, OH — AJ Cress paced home for his 50th career victory, winning the 13th race at Northfield Park on Wednesday (June 18).

JJ Zamaiko photo

AJ Cress paced home for his 50th career victory, winning the 13th race at Northfield Park on Wednesday.

The 12 year-old veteran has 339 career starts, winning 50 times, and finishing second and third 54 and 64 times, respectively. AJ Cress (Village Connection-Rose Cress) has career earnings of $119,323 and a lifetime mark of 1:55.3 over Northfield’s Flying Turns at age nine. The pacer’s richest win was for a purse of $5,000 in a conditioned/claiming event at Hoosier Park in 2005. His 50 wins have been spread across nine different racing surfaces in three different states.

AJ Cress started from post four and let his competition set fractions of :28.4, :58.4 and 1:28. He went three wide around the final turn and was a nose to the good as he crossed the finish line in 1:57.4 over a sloppy surface.

AJ Cress was an upset winner and returned $27.80 to win. Mark Headworth owns, trains and drove AJ Cress to this milestone triumph.