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Arcadia Stable's Bubble Economy captured his second big prize at Great Meadow this year, taking the $50,000 International Gold Cup Saturday for trainer Jack Fisher. Under Robbie Walsh, the 9-year-old gelding sat patiently throughout much of the 3 1/2-mile timber stakes, then caught front-running Salmo (Darren Nagle) in the stretch to win by a neck, with Woodmont (Jeff Murphy) third. Bubble Economy, timber champion in 2004, sits atop the division standings this year with $98,250 earnings; he earned $90,000 of that total at Great Meadow, via wins in Saturday's International Gold Cup and the Virginia Gold Cup in May.

The champ did it again – winning his fifth consecutive Grade I stakes.

Salmo back at Great Meadow

The International Gold Cup race meet hosts its 25th running at Great Meadow Saturday, headlining a seven-race card which offers $190,000 in total purses. The race course, created on farmland in The Plains, Va., opened to the public Oct. 20, 1984, and has been a popular stop on the NSA circuit ever since. So it's only appropriate that the favorites for the featured $50,000 timber stakes are also fans of the place.

Bet you didn’t know Good Night Shirt was a song.

A year later and the question remains the same. Only the horse has changed. For the past five seasons “How do you beat McDynamo?” was heard as much during Far Hills week as the local weather report. This season all you need to do is swap McDynamo with Good Night Shirt and the question remains as viable as ever.

Steeplechasing's stars shoot to New Jersey Saturday for the 88th annual Far Hills Races, as the sport's richest meeting offers six races and $550,000 in total purses, highlighted by the $250,000 Grand National. The all-stakes card attracted a talented cast throughout, with top billing going to 2007 Eclipse Award winner Good Night Shirt.

From Morris Park to Far Hills

To get a sense of the Grand National's history, consider that the first racetrack to host it, Morris Park, shuttered more than a century ago. Since its inception in 1899, American steeplechasing's premier event has tested the best jumpers of the each generation.

With Far Hills and the International Gold Cup on tap, Saturday promises to be the biggest American steeplechase day of the year. The NSA took entries Tuesday, providing a glimpse at the action to come.

“Everybody gets excited to go to Far Hills.”

Matt McCarron said what everyone else on the circuit is thinking as Saturday nears.

The Far Hills Races, North America's richest steeplechase meet, will honor steeplechase great McDynamo in a retirement ceremony before the American Grand National (Gr. I) Saturday.