McDynamo holds off defending champ

CAMDEN, S.C. (AP) -- McDynamo won the Colonial Cup Steeplechase on Saturday, holding off defending race winner Hirapour by 1 1/2 lengths.
The 9-year-old McDynamo, ridden by Jody Petty, also won the National Steeplechase Association earnings title and closed in on his second Eclipse Award in three years. Petty won his first NSA rider title with 19 victories this year.
Owned by Michael Moran and trained by Sanna Hendriks, McDynamo followed the same lead from wire-to-wire script at the Springdale Race Course as he did more than a month ago in capturing the $200,000 Breeders Cup Steeplechase in Far Hills, N.J.
"McDynamo just does not give up. He just tried and tried. What a cool horse," Petty said. "A couple people came close to me, but my horse out-jumped them and they disappeared.
"He literally would dust them over the fence. I would hear them right behind me and then, I didn't hear them anymore."
Hirapour's hopes of repeating took a huge hit when Matt McCarron was nearly thrown from his mount near the top of the back stretch.
"He went from third, two lengths down and absolutely traveling, to fifth and completely off the bridle," McCarron said. "I was extremely impressed that he got as close as he did at the end. He's just such a warrior that he found more and kept giving it."
McDyamano's victory on Saturday gave him a 3-2 edge in his five meetings with Hirapour and his $90,000 payday gave him an NSA-best $265,425 in earnings for 2005.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.