Mason Hardaway Lampton’s Maccabee uncorked a strong move to the Foxfield Spring Races’ final fence and drew away with authority to win Saturday’s $25,000 Daniel Van Clief Memorial ratings handicap by 5¾ lengths.
Owner-trainer Bethany Baumgardner’s Mavourneen, who had taken the lead two fences out, finished second, 2¼ lengths clear of Beverly R. Steinman’s Bullet Star, who set the pace for much of the 2 1/8-mile race over National Fences. Ann Jackson’s Flash Jackson finished fourth in a field of 10.
Trained by Lilith Boucher, Maccabee was ridden by her husband, Richard. The six-year-old Street Hero gelding was well back early before attacking in the race’s latter stages. He ran the distance in 4:04 4/5 on firm turf.
Maccabee won for the second time this year, after his number was put up at the Aiken Spring Steeplechase in a maiden claiming hurdle on March 23. He came back in two weeks at The Cup Runneth Over meet and finished seventh in a ratings handicap similar to Foxfield’s.
He carried 147 pounds, six pounds fewer than highweights Flash Jackson and L’Aigle Royal, who was pulled up two fences from the finish. Both highweights were ridden by apprentices eligible for five-pound allowances.