The Far Hills Race Meeting at Moorland Farms in Somerset County, New Jersey, is the premier event on the American jump racing calendar, and is the host of the $300,000 Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase (G1). Four-time winner McDynamo was going for his fifth straight win in this 2 5/8 mile trip over 14 national fences, before a sell-out crowd of 50,000, but he had not raced since finishing a disappointing fourth in the Iroquois(G1) in May. Iroquois(G1) and Lonesome Glory(G1) winner Good Night Shirt was his top challenger in the field of nine.
Luongo was sent to the front right away by jockey Diana Gillam but McDynamo was already breathing down his neck. The pair raced together for the first ten fences, jumping them all cleanly, but after a mile Luongo tired allowing McDynamo to take over the pace. Luongo subsequently stumbled at the 12th fence and was pulled up. Jockey William Dowling aboard Good Night Shirt, who had stalked the pacesetting pair on the outside, continued to press McDynamo for the next mile. After 2 1/8 miles, Jody Petty asked McDynamo to pull away and the champion responded, accelerating with authority to a 6 length lead with a furlong to go. Good Night Shirt weakened after the 13th fence, allowing Sweet Shani and Best Attack to put in late bids for the lead but they were no match for McDynamo, who won easing up in 5:30.60 over the course rated soft. It was 1 1/2 lengths from Sweet Shani to Best Attack, who was a neck ahead of Good Night Shirt fourth.
Results chart
