Fair Hill Training Center
Encyclopedia
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. It was owned by William duPont, Jr.
William duPont, Jr.
William duPont, Jr. was an American businessman and banker and a prominent figure in the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. A member of the Delaware Du Pont family, he was the son of William du Pont and Annie Rogers , and brother to horsewoman, Marion.In 1919, he married Jean Liseter Austin...
of the well-known Dupont family who bought the land in 1926. Dupont invested a substantial amount of money to make the property a leading breeding and training farm for his Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorses
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. The State of Maryland purchased Fair Hill in 1974, converting the then 5700 acres (23 km²) property into an equine training complex and a natural resource center. There are 17 barns, with more than 450 stalls. Each barn has its own set of turn out paddocks and porta pads. Barns here at Fair Hill were individually named after some of the du Pont thoroughbred champions such as Parlo
Parlo
Parlo was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Bred by William duPont, Jr. at his Walnut Hall Farm near Boyce, Virginia, she was out of the mare Fairy Palace and sired by the good British runner Heliopolis whom Parlo helped earn his second Leading sire in North America title in 1954.-At 2...
, Chevation and Fairy Chant
Fairy Chant
Fairy Chant was an American Champion Thoroughbred filly racehorse. Her sire was the 1927 Belmont Stakes winner Chance Shot, a son of three-time Leading sire in North America Fair Play...
.
There are two race tracks: a mile dirt track and a 7/8ths mile track with an artificial surface (Tapeta). The campus also includes 3,000 acres (12 km²) of grasslands and woods which can be used by trainers who wish to take their horses out on trails.
Trainers
Current trainers at Fair Hill include Alex Balwin, Victoria Battaglini, Klobia Carroll, Victor Chung, Billy Entenmann, Dr. John Fisher, Pat Graham, Ricky Hendricks, Tuck Hunter, Bruce Jackson, Judge Jackson, Steve Klesaris, Chuck Lawrence, Richard Lugovich, Michael R. Matz (trainer of BarbaroBarbaro
Barbaro was an American thoroughbred who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death....
), Bobby Manchio, Chuck Martin, Michael McCarthy, Jim McGreevy, Edwin Merryman, Liz Merryman, Michael Moran, Graham Motion (trainer of Better Talk Now and Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom (horse)
Animal Kingdom by the Brazilian-bred Leroidesanimaux out of the German mare Dalicia is a Thoroughbred race horse, notable for winning the 137th Kentucky Derby. The race was run on May 7, 2011 before a record crowd of 164,858...
), Paul Rowland, Jose Samaniego, Mark Shuman, Mike Rea, Richard Trimmer, Gene Weymouth, Debbie Wiggins,and Tim Woolley.
Location
Fair Hill is close to many racetracks, including Delaware ParkDelaware Park (race track)
Delaware Park is an American horse racing track, casino, and golf course in Stanton, Delaware. It is located just outside the city of Wilmington, and about thirty miles from Philadelphia.-Thoroughbred racing:...
(Delaware), Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course
Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London...
(Maryland), Philadelphia Park Racetrack
Philadelphia Park Racetrack
Parx Racing and Casino is a thoroughbred horse racetrack and racino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. It currently houses 3,300 slot machines.-History:...
and Penn National Race Course
Penn National Race Course
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racing track and casino located in Grantville, Pennsylvania, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.The track opened on August 30, 1972...
(Pennsylvania), Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.Monmouth Park's marquee event...
and the Meadowlands Racetrack
Meadowlands Racetrack
The Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing...
, Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...
and Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
(New York), and Charlestown (West Virginia).
Major Successes
Fair Hill's grade one successes include the Kentucky DerbyKentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
(Barbaro
Barbaro
Barbaro was an American thoroughbred who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death....
, Animal Kingdom), the Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
(Better Talk Now
Better Talk Now
Better Talk Now is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Out of the mare Bendita, his damsire Baldski is a son of English Triple Crown Champion Nijinsky...
), Breeders' Cup Distaff
Breeders' Cup Distaff
The Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Distaff from its inception in 1984 through 2007, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders'...
(Round Pond
Round Pond (horse)
Round Pond is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky by Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan. The bay filly is the daughter of Awesome Again out of the mare Gift of Dance. Owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms, Round Pond was trained by Michael R...
), the Arlington Million
Arlington Million
The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flathorse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward. It is raced over a distance of 1¼ miles on the turf at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois in August each year...
(Kicken Kris), the Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park
Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park
The Barbaro Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid July at Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton, Delaware. Previously known as the Leonard Richards Stakes, in 2007 it was renamed in honor of Barbaro, the horse who won the Kentucky Derby in 2006 but who eventually died after...
(Xchanger) and (Chelokee
Chelokee
Chelokee is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Foley Farms Bloodstock, he was sired by multiple stakes winner Cherokee Run...
), and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes
The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup is an American Thoroughbred horse race race for three-year-old fillies held annually since 1984 at Keeneland Race Course near Lexington, Kentucky. Run at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf, the Grade I race currently offers a purse of $500,000...
(Film Maker).
External links
- Trainers own sites:
- Tapeta track surface homepage