by Ayers Ratliff, Northfield Park Publicity Department

Northfield, OH — Jack Moiseyev won the Cleveland Classic in 1991 with 3-year-old pacing star Precious Bunny and had not been to Northfield Park since. He returned to the Flying Turns on Friday (July 3) to drive Daylon Magician in the $170,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic and found himself in the winner’s circle again.

JJ Zamaiko photo

Daylon Magician was a narrow winner in the Cleveland Trotting Classic.

Daylon Magician ($19.80) started from post seven and let his competition carve blistering early fractions of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:23.4. Moiseyev pulled second over and followed cover up the backstretch before making his move in the final quarter and besting his competition by a head, stopping the timer at 1:53.2. The clocking broke the track record for older trotting horses and tied Northfield’s all-age trotting record.

“Everything kind of worked out for us. They were going pretty fast and I was able to rest him (Daylon Magician) early, and that is what he really likes,” said Moiseyev. “He was in a good spot turning for home because if he is close he tries to beat whoever is in front of him.”

Friday’s win was Daylon Magician’s sixth this year and 31st lifetime, increasing his bankroll to $1,934,527 for owner Daylon Farms LTD.

Completing the 2015 Trotting Classic were Obrigado, DW’s NY Yank, Rompaway Galaxy, Awesome Valley, Il Sogno Dream, Datsyuk and Count Me In.

The track record set in the Classic was just one of four records set on the 15-race program, which also featured 11 $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes races for freshman filly pacers and trotters.

In the evening’s fifth race Shut Up And Dance ($4.20) broke the track record for 2-year-old trotting fillies when she posted a four length victory in 1:58. Aaron Merriman drove for trainer Dirk Simpson and owner James Bafia. The previous record was 1:58.1 held by both Rose Run Keepsake (Steve Carter) in 2008 and You’re Majestic (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) in 2014.

Lease Ness Monster won the evening’s $13,000 Fillies and Mares Open and broke her own record for 4-year-old pacing mares. She won by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:52 for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Matt Waltz, who co-owns the mare with David Waltz. Her previous 1:52.1 record was set earlier this year.

Victory Is Coming was parked every step of the way in the $20,000 Open Trot and still managed to edge out her competition by a nose in 1:53.2. Wrenn drove the mare for trainer Ammon Hershberger and owners Betty and John Red Shaw. That time beat her previous 1:53.3 record that she trotted last year.

She solely held the title as Northfield’s fastest trotter ever for about 15 minutes before Daylon Magician equaled that time in the very next race.