SENECA, Md.--Mark Beecher saddled the winners of three races, including the featured Open Hurdle, at the Potomac Hunt Races on Sunday, May 17.

Mark Beecher Daniel R. Baker's Decisive Triumph, ridden by Dan Nevin, won the $7,500, 2 1/8 mile Preakness Open Hurdle by about 9 lengths over Solomon's Choice, trained by Jason Cole.

"Decisive Triumph is 13 now, so he's not allowed to run in sanctioned races, under the National Steeplechase rules." said Beecher. "He just went around nicely and won with a smile on his face." 

Pelham Road's Awesome Strike (On), ridden by Nevin, won the $5,000, 3 mile Novice Timber by a nose over Auction Kingdom, trained by Neil Morris, and Sir Lenny, trained by Cole.

:Awesome Strike is a nice horse for the future," said Beecher. "He's 7, and we've had him for a year and a half. This was his second timber start, after he was third at the Piedmont Point-to-Point. Last year, he won the maiden hurdle at Camden, but in my eyes he was always going to be a timber horse."

"He'll have the summer off and then run in the maiden timber at Shawan," said Beecher.

Turks Head Turf's Grace Darling (Ire), ridden by Sophie O'Brien, won the $1,000, 1 1/2 mile Amateur Open Flat race by 2 1/2 lengths over Outperform, trained by Joe Davies, and Why Why Not, trained by Todd Wyatt.

"She's a little mare owned by Betsy Barr," said Beecher. "She just had a nice little run around, because she's running this weekend at Fair Hill."

 

RUNNYMOORE Racing's Fit for a King, trained by Todd McKenna and ridden by Eric Poretz, won the $10,000 Amateur/Apprentice Rider Open Timber over To Be or Not To Be, trained by Davies, and Mystic Giggle, trained by Kathy Neilson.

The $2,500 Maiden Hurdle was split into three divisions, with Joe Davies saddling Sportsmans Hall's Shecheyanu, ridden by Gerard Galligan, winning the first division over Modern Master and Aspenite, both trained by Morris.

Morris saddled both the next two winners; Runnymoore Racing's Steadfast Resolve, ridden by Graham Watters, over Navid (GB), trained by Barry Foley, and Ladsfirstlove, trained by Cole, in division two; and Mark Cassidy's Doctor Davis, ridden by Watters, over Where's Charlie, trained by Morrris, and Mission Man, trained by Young, in division three.

Davies saddled Brave Deacon, owned and ridden by Scarlet Davies, to win the $1,000, 2 1/2 mile Foxhunter Timber over Coastal Moon, also trained by Davies, and Corky Lemon, trained by Jack Fisher.

Lacy Gaudet saddled Black and Blue Stable's Thataway, ridden by Galligan, to win the $1,000 13//4 mile Open Flat over Showpiece, trained by Tom Garner, and Arrow's Crossing, trained by Beecher.

Rosey Crane on Poncho won the Small Pony Flat, and Pauly Aguilera rode Rose to win the Medium Pony and Mini to win the large Pony Flat.