Fair Hill

FAIR HILL -- Sharon Chesson, a "hockey mom" from Far Hills, N.J., and former Olympian Bruce Davidson of Unionville, Pa., won the overall driving and riding championships, respectively, at the conclusion yesterday of the Fair Hill International equine triathlon."

FAIR HILL - -Bridesmaid no more. Moon Dolly came into the $30,000 Valentine Memorial hurdle stakes, the feature at Saturday's annual Fair Hill Races, with four consecutive seconds in races in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Back home in Maryland, she halted the frustration with a game victory. Trained in Monkton by Tom Voss, the 8-year-old daughter of Kris S. challenged pacemaker Jellyberry in the deep stretch and prevailed by a head in 4 minutes, 15 3/5 seconds for the 2 1/4 miles.

While flat racing struggles with fewer horses and declining revenues, the steeplechase circuit is enjoying steady progress. Proof of that can be seen in a perusal of the entries for today's annual Fair Hill Races, which have drawn bulging fields for the eight-race program that will begin at 1 p.m. at the picturesque Cecil County layout. With expected cooperation from the weather, an estimated 12,000 are expected to view a card headlined by the $30,000 Valentine Memorial for fillies and mares, a 2 1/4 -mile test over national fences.

For the third year in a row, the state of Maryland is coordinating and helping to fund a country and bluegrass music festival -- this time in Fair Hill in Cecil County.The Fair Hill Country/Bluegrass Music Festival -- headlined by the Judds and featuring such top-name acts as Ricky Van Shelton, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shelby Lynne -- will be held Aug. 10 on a wooded tract owned by the state Department of Natural Resources, officials announced yesterday.At the same time, they said a similar festival held for the first time last August on a private tract on the Tangier Sound near Crisfield would not be mounted again this year because of uncertainty about the availability of the site.

FAIR HILL -- A number of Maryland horsemen and horsewomen are competing in world-class combined driving and Day events today through Sunday at the 5,000-acre Fair Hill Natural Resources Center near Elkton.At stake, in the driving part of the event, is selection of U.S. representatives for the 1993 World Pair Championship held in Gladstone, N.J. National championships in the Four-In-Hand and Single Horse division will also be decided as well as the East Coast title for single pony championship.

FAIR HILL - Last Memorial Day, trainer Jack Fisher thought he had won the $30,000 Miles Valentine Memorial Stakes when Indispensable reached the wire first. But he left the Fair Hill Races in a far less jovial mood after Indispensable was disqualified for interference and placed second to P.C. Plod. He had no such concerns this time. Fisher, the National Steeplechase Association's leading trainer in 2003, didn't have to deal with any claims of foul yesterday as Dynability turned in a gritty, front-running performance for 2 1/4 miles.

FAIR HILL -- After winning the Kentucky Derby, Barbaro returned home to Cecil County as a bona fide celebrity and he has been getting the royal treatment. "Any little thing you need is taken care of," said trainer Michael Matz of the accommodations at the tranquil Fair Hill Training Center. "They'll rake the track and roll it or put sand in the shedrow instead of using a wheelbarrow to take it in bit by bit. They're very amenable here to everything. They're glad to help you." Matz moved to this serene setting after a tiff with the late William Rickman, Sr., the owner of Delaware Park.

FAIR HILL -- Jonathan Sheppard, the nation's champion steeplechase trainer 17 times, extended his lead for the 1990 title by sending out the gelding, Yaw, to win the $25,000 Manly Challenge Cup at Fair Hill yesterday.The 8-year-old son of Seattle Slew led virtually all of 16 fenceand 2 3/8 miles, and finished 4 3/4 lengths in front of Senator Brady, the second choice who stalked the leader all the way.Third came Morewoods, followed by Cadent and Make AzilianThe morning-line favorite, Victorian Hill, was scratched, as was Double Barrel.

FAIR HILL -- Combined driving might be considered the rugby of horse sports, or at least the marathon portion of the triathlon event.It doesn't sound like a contact activity this unique equine competition where horses pulling a carriage and a driver negotiate some of Maryland's loveliest terrain over a 15-mile course.But yesterday, at selection trials sponsored by the United States Equestrian Team, in which pairs of horses qualify for next year's World Championships in Gladstone, N.J., there was a steady stream of lost wheels, broken straps, twisted traces and turned over carriages.

The peace of the Fair Hill Training Center, which trainer Michael Matz had raved about since returning Barbaro to his picturesque home in Cecil County after his dominating Kentucky Derby victory two weeks ago, seemed undisturbed yesterday. A day after the star 3-year-old thoroughbred had suffered a life-threatening broken right hind leg shortly after leaving the starting gate in the 131st Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, Matz went through his normal morning training regimen before going to see his horse.