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owner-rider Blair Waterman at the fifth of 14 fences, leaving Julie Gomena and Gorfen Letch alone to complete the 2 1/2-mile course.
Gorfen Letch, last year’s Virginia hurdle champion and a 9-year-old campaigner, was less happy about being by himself on course. He refused the sixth fence after nearly blowing the turn to the downhill jump, and dropped Gomena on the turf.
Outriders caught both horses quickly and the riders agreed to continue their race. Waterman had more ground to make up to re-enter the course where she had fallen, the rule, and speed carried Wood Whistle wide to the downhill sixth fence where Waterman fell again trying to straighten the horse. Gomena made it over, though, and was commended for keeping Gorfen Letch’s mind on his job for the remaining eight fences. It was Gomena’s first win.
Far more exciting competition was found in the maiden timber race. Kinross Farm color bearers led the finishing procession one-two, with Bovari, Matt McCarron up, winning by 1 1/2 lengths at just second asking over timber. Second was stablemate Burghley Park, with farm trainer Neil Morris up.
Mason Lampton Jr., 25, won his first race aboard his Waukey in the foxhunters’ timber. Lampton, a concrete business salesman based in Atlanta, travels to trainer Dorothy Smithwick’s Middleburg stable each weekend to hunt, train and ride. His father, Mason Sr., was a leading amateur steeplechase jockey through the 1960s and 70s, and his grandfather, Dinwiddie Lampton, won the first Iroquois Steeplechase (grade I) in 1941.
Lampton said that he never considered riding steeplechases until this season. “I’ve hunted all my life,” he explained, adding that his father was master of hounds for the Midland Hunt near Columbus, Ga. “But I hadn’t thought of racing until now. I guess it works out that I’ve got some spare time, and, more importantly, some money to spend. It’s been terrific. What fun this is....” Waukey jumped well to lead wire-towire for a 15-length score.
The 1 1/4-mile flat race was won by Frank Walther’s Noble Lineage, George Wood up, with Melissa Tokarz’s Nicholls and Matt McCarron taking the turf sprint.
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