Fair Hill Training Center

Fair Hill Training Center is a racehorse training center based in Fair Hill, Maryland. It was owned by William duPont, Jr. 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 racehorses. The State of Maryland purchased Fair Hill in 1974, converting the then convert|5700|acre|km2|0 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, Chevation and Fairy Chant.

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 Barbaro), Bobby Manchio, Chuck Martin, Michael McCarthy, Jim McGreevy, Edwin Merryman, Liz Merryman, Michael Moran, Graham Motion (trainer of Better Talk Now), 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 Park, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course (Maryland), Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Penn National Race Course (Pennsylvania), Monmouth Park Racetrack and the Meadowlands Racetrack, Aqueduct Racetrack and Belmont Park (New York), and Charlestown (West Virginia).

Major Successes

Fair Hill's grade one successes include the Kentucky Derby (Barbaro), the Breeders' Cup Turf (Better Talk Now), Breeders' Cup Distaff (Round Pond), the Arlington Million (Kicken Kris), the Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park (Xchanger) and (Chelokee), and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (Film Maker).

External links

*Trainers own sites:
** [http://www.brucejacksonracing.com/ Bruce Jackson]
** [http://www.hgrahammotion.com/ Graham Motion]
** [http://www.paulrowlandracing.com/ Paul Rowland]
** [http://www.timwoolleyracing.com/ Tim Woolley] including [http://www.timwoolleyracing.com/news/2006/05/barbaro_fair_hi.php/ Barbaro Updates]
* [http://www.tapetafootings.com/ Tapeta track surface homepage]

References

* [http://www.fairhilltrainingcenter.com/ Fair Hill Training Center (official site)]
* [http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/fairhill.html Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, State of Maryland, Department of Natural Resources website]
* [http://www.jimcoarse.com Fair Hill Training Center Photography by Jim Coarse]
* [http://alexbrownracing.com/wiki/index.php/Fair_Hill Fair Hill AlexBrownRacing]