American 'chasing took off in every direction this spring, with timber-toppers reaching new heights, an old favorite ruling the open hurdle division, and the sport's first "Triple Crown" novice series making its debut.

SPRING TIMBER RACING

Michael Elmore and Welter Weight, winners of the Maryland Grand National and the Maryland Hunt Cup

Welter Weight and Saluter were the big news in timber racing this season. And for good reason: the former dominated both the Grand National and the Maryland Hunt Cup, while the latter staged an unprecedented sixth victory in the Virginia Gold Cup. Yet they were two totally different kinds of horses prevailing over diverse courses.

Maryland timber takes its entrants over some of the biggest fences in the country, with solid obstacles approaching five feet in height. This discipline is more of a waiting game than Virginia timber, where the fences are somewhat lower and the courses more geared toward speed. Armata Stables' 11-year-old veteran Welter Weight performed like a much younger horse this spring, with Michael Elmore along for the ride.

Setting much of the pace in Maryland's$30,000 Grand National, he handily defeated upstart Nem Blong Hem (Brian Moran) and veteran Buck Jakes (Ann Moran) in that April 17 event. But the Tom Voss trainee reverted to his usual come-from-behind style in the $50,000 Maryland Hunt Cup, the country's most grueling test of a timber horse on April 24.

Welter Weight had twice been runner-up (to both Buck Jakes and Florida Law) in this 4- mile timber stake, but 1999 was his year. Reserved early, he overtook stablemate Florida Law (A.P. Smithwick Jr.) at the 19th of 22 massive fences, and found enough foot to hold off a late-closing Emerald Action. The latter horse was a sentimental second under trainer Jack Fisher, his owner Irvin Naylor having sustained a paralyzing fall from him in the Grand National.

Welter Weight's victory was a big one for "Team Voss," which had worked hard to address the horse's tendency towards a sore back. "He was aggressive in the Grand National, and I just sort of went along with him -- he was doing what he was doing, and the best thing was not to get in his way," Elmore explained. "But he was much more laid- back at the beginning here, so I rated him. He was absolutely great; he's got so much confidence, and he was just right on!"

The weeks leading up to the Hunt Cup also saw Proud Dawg (Joe Gillet) excel in the $17,500 My Lady's Manor Steeplechase, a 3-mile Maryland classic run April 10. Irvin "comeback kid" was a strong finisher here, waging a first for his trainer Lisa Parker.

Saluter (Jack Fisher) en route to his sixth Virginia Gold Cup victory

This race also marked the third time that timber legend Saluter -- who shares the same sire as Proud Dawg -- had been defeated over this rolling, turn-filled course. But the old saying "horses for courses" never rang more true than when Saluter set foot on Great Meadow for the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Virginia Gold Cup on May 1. Ann Stern's 10-year-old superhorse had already won five Gold Cups, something no 'chaser before him had managed. And he went on to win an unprecedented sixth here, although victory came a little harder this time. Once again, the distance was four miles on this speed-loving, "galloper's course." But Pennsylvania Hunt Cup winner Ninewa set a sizzling pace, and Saluter was late making up crucial ground. "Having some speed does help him, because they've got to slow down at some oint, and come back to him a little bit" Fisher explained. "But I didn't want to be back as far as I was… and they didn't come back that much." When the Virginia-bred phenomenon took control approaching the last, he still had a late- closing Gold Quoit (Chip Miller) to contend with -- but luck was on his side, and Saluter emerged the victor by four lengths, in a record 8:23 4/5.

Interestingly enough, the score was Fisher's ninth in this venerable race, eclipsing legendary jockey Joe Aitcheson Jr.'s old mark. But "Team Fisher" wasn't so lucky at the Holland & Holland Marlborough Cup May 23 in Wiltshire, England. Saluter fell short in his quest for a second World Timber Championship, finishing third. As Fisher concluded, 3 miles just "…wasn't Saluter's distance." But an American-owned horse named Pennybridge (Richard Johnson) found the route to his liking, defeating Philip's Woody (Mick Fitzgerald) by four lengths. An entry of Virginian Joel McCleary, Pennybridge was trained by David Nicholson.

The stretch drive in the Radnor Hunt Cup, won by Craig Thornton and Floating Interest

In other timber action this season, Floating Interest took Pennsylvania's Radnor Hunt Cup -- over a newly redesigned course -- while Bredesen Moe won both Foxfield's Grover Vandevender Memorial (VA) and Fair Hill's James Stump Memorial (MD). Both horses were saddled by Pennsylvanian Sanna Neilson, who was the nation's top trainer last year.

Other timber winners this spring include: Prenuptial, in Strawberry Hill's Deep Run Hunt Cup; Gold Quoit, in the Middleburg (VA) Hunt Cup; Southwoods, in Iroquois' Mason Houghland Memorial; and Sam Sullivan, in Pennsylvania's Willowdale Steeplechase.

GRADED STAKES

Pennsylvania trainer F. Bruce Miller held the key to the season's biggest graded stakes, whether they were for novices or open horses, over hurdle or brush. Leading the pack was Kay Jeffords' four-time Eclipse Award winner Lonesome Glory, whose late rush resulted in a resounding two-length victory over Dalton River in Keeneland's Grade I, $175,000 Royal Chase on April 23. Miller's daughter Blythe rode the open division champion, who at 11 years of age, is still a forced to be reckoned with.

"It was certainly exciting" the veteran trainer recalled. But it was the Miller-trained Popular Gigalo who stole the show this season, in the new Triple Crown series for novices.

Patterned loosely after American flat racing's own Triple Crown, the new series took the jumpers to the same tracks as their flat racing counterparts during the week of each Triple Crown event. First up was Churchill Downs, home of the famed Kentucky Derby.

Chip Miller and Gigalo

The race was the Grade I, $100,000 Hard Scuffle Stakes, the first leg of steeplechasing's triple on April 29. Miller's son Chip took a conservative route with Clorevia Farm's Popular Gigalo, coming from off the rail at the last to turn back sister Blythe (aboard Laffite the Pirate ).

The win was Chip Miller's first in a Grade I stake, but it was only the beginning. The pair skipped the triple's second leg, run at Pimlico, Maryland (site of the Preakness Stakes) on May 13. The race was the Grade I, $100,000 Joe Aitcheson Novice Stakes, and Grand Nord (Jonathan Kiser) had the call from start to finish. The French-bred winner was an entry of Beverly Steinman who was trained by Doug Fout. But Popular Gigalo was back and looking better than ever for the series finale, the Grade I, $100,000 Meadow Brook Stakes June 3 at New York's Belmont Park (site of the Belmont Stakes).

With Chip Miller again in the irons, the son of Eastern Echo pushed through on the inside to trounce Pimlico runner-up Spring Salute by 1 1/2 lengths. What a difference a month made! "(Popular Gigalo) was jumping much braver (at Belmont)" Chip Miller said. "At Churchill, we weren't getting much of a look at the fences, and 'Giggie' was finding that extra spot at each of the fences and going short. But at Belmont, he was leaving (strides) out!" "We were pleasantly surprised," said father Bruce. "Chip gave that horse a brilliant ride. And there were about eight horses who could have legitimately won."

Dalton River was another Grade I winner this season, taking the $100,000 Coca-Cola Atlanta Cup (GA) on April 10. The Sanna Neilson trainee, who was ridden by Craig Thornton, outran Rowdy Irishman by a nose. But Vesta Balestiere's "Rowdy" returned to repeat his 1998 victory in the Grade I, $100,000 Iroquois Stakes at Nashville, Tennessee on May 8.

Trained by Bruce Haynes and ridden by Vincent "Cort" Marzullo, the popular veteran blasted past High Card and Avanico in the final yards of the 3-mile contest.

Other graded stakes winners this season included: Action Man, in Atlanta's Grade III Beaulieu of America Spring Novice; Hard News, in North Carolina's Grade III Century BMW Bl