FAIR HILL, Md.--Steeplechasing finally returned to Fair Hill, and the day was a huge success, with the new turf course holding up beautifully despite days of rain and large fields of runners on Memorial Day, May 25..

Predominate, ridden by Graham Watters, leads Neotopic and Take Your Seats in the Valentine (Photo by Tod Marks)Charlie Fenwick, President of the Fair Hill Foundation, had twice the reasons to celebrate, as not only was it a great day of racing, but, as co-owner of Bruton Street-US, he had a winner and two seconds.

"It's been seven years since we've had racing at Fair Hill," said Fenwick. "The whole turf track was redone. The Fair Hill Foundation paid for a lot of that. We were delighted with the day."

"There was lots of anxiety before the races, but it went off beautifully," said Fenwick. "The sport was terrific. There were 83 runners. That's the biggest field Fair Hill has ever had and maybe the biggest field this year."

"The turf was superb," said Fenwick. "It had absorbed three inches of day from two days before the races. It was unfortunate that there had not been flat racing on Sunday, but hopefully we can get flat horses back on the course soon."

A full day of flat racing had been scheduled for Sunday, May 24, but racing was cancelled due to the downpour the day before.

 

BRUTON STREET-US' Gettleman, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Jamie Bargary, won the co-featured $50,000, 2 mile Allowance Hurdle by 1 1/4 lengths over Scorpius, also trained by Fisher, and Awesome Man, trained by Todd Wyatt.

"Jack and his team do a good job for us," said Fenwick.

Todd McKenna saddled Gail Jackson Clark's Predominate to win the featured $50,000, 2 1/4 mile Valentine Memorial Restricted Hurdle Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over Bruton Street's Neotropic, trained by Fisher, and Take Your Seats (Ire), trained by Tom Garner.

"We  found him running on the dirt at Delaware Park," said McKenna. "His dam had produced many turf horses. We were lucky to find him for a cheap claiming purse."

He had been running competitively, so we wheeled him back quickly," said McKenna, "This race looked a little less competitive than the novice at Saratoga."

Bruton Street had its first second place finish in the $25,000 Flat race for Jumpers, won by Molly and Paul Willis' Fleetfoot, (Ire), ridden by Danny Mullins.

Fleetfoot won the 2 mile race by 3 lengths over The Jackal, trained by Fisher, and Investment Mandate, trained by Leslie Young.

Leipers Fork Steeplechase's Verbal, trained by Young and ridden by Freddie Procter, won the $40,000 Maiden Hurdle by 3 lengths over Bourbonator, trained by Barry Foley, and Flash Frozen, trained by Garner.

Lilith Boucher saddled F. Hill Parker's Red Tone, ridden by Virginia Korrell, to win the $35,00 Filly and Mare Hurdle by 2 3/4 lengths over Belle Wish (Ire), trained by Young, and Camanoe, trained by Fisher.

Neil Moris saddled Leipers Fork Steeplechase's Aspenite, ridden by Graham Watters, to win the $40,000 Maiden Hurdle by 7 3/4 lengths over Onrush, trained by Fisher,  and Roundtop, trained by Keri Brion.

Fisher saddled another winner in Riverdee Stable's Tuddenham Green (GB), ridden by Bargary, who won the $30,000 Ratings Handicap by 4 3/4 lengths over Hard Par, trained by Kate Dalton, and Fouroneohsmokeshow, trained by Brion.

Mark Beecher saddled Port Lairge Stables' Whiskyinthejaro, ridden by Dan Nevin, to win the $25,000 Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 4 1/4 lengths over Boffo Kid, trained by Danielle Hodsdon, and Path to Victory, trained by Boucher.

Morris saddled Maranto Manor's Auction Kingdom, ridden by Evan Dwan, to win the $20,000, 3 mile Maiden Timber by a nose over Noah and the Ark (Ire), trained by McKenna, and Moonshine Time (Ire), trained by Brion.