Those who were wondering what jockey Mark Beecher and Raven's Choice would do for an encore after capturing the 2015 Maryland Hunt Cup found out Saturday at the 114th Grand National Steeplechase in Butler.

Beecher kept his mount in check until there were just five fences to go, then rocketed forward to win by three lengths over William Meister on And The Eagle Flys. The winning time was 6?minutes, 43 seconds.

Serene Harbor was third and Joshua G was fourth in the $30,000 3-mile, 18-jump race over timber on what turned out to be a beautiful day after morning showers and overcast skies left the area.

“He really gallops and stays strong,” said Beecher, who also won the 2013 Maryland Hunt Cup, on Professor Maxwell. “This is my first Grand National win, so it was nice to get it out of the way.”

Owner Ann Jackson said her team, including Beecher and trainer Todd J.?Wyatt, did a fantastic job. She added that she is proud that Raven's Choice was “born, bred and trained” at her Foxharbor Farm in White Hall.

Jackson said the dynamic between owner, trainer and rider is key to the team's success.

“Mark is instinctively a great rider,” Jackson said. “And Todd is such a conscientious trainer. He goes over everything with a fine-tooth comb. He worked for Tom Voss for years, so we're lucky to have him. We just have a great team. We owned Raven's Choice's mother and his sister, too. We've had his whole family.”

Beecher was not as fortunate in the next race, the 51st Benjamin H. Murray Memorial. He finished fourth, behind James Slater on Leffingwell Lion, McLane Hendriks on Our Town and Trevor McKenna on Great Halo.

Leffingwell Lion prevailed after Eric Poretz and Senior Senator were disqualified for pushing two riders off course with six fences to go.

Although it took the judges about 10 minutes to make the decision, Slater said he was confident he would be declared the winner in the $20,000, 3-mile race.

“I was pretty certain that I would win,” he said. “That's why I eased up coming over the last fence [to finish in 6:13]. I think the judges felt that there was a little lack of control” by Poretz.

The riders even exchanged words after Senior Senator came abreast of Leffingwell Lion.

“When Eric came up to me, I told him that he had to give me enough room to finish,” Slater said. “He's a nice guy, and he didn't mean to do it, but the judges had to disqualify him.”

Slater's record with the judges is fairly sound, considering he won the 2013 race on Alfa Beat on a similar decision.

By guiding Church Music to a win in the 12th Western Run Plate II, Brett Owings won for the first time and earned a ice-water bath from his fellow jockeys as he descended from the celebration on the winners' platform.

Mecklenburg was second and Tax Ruling finished third in the $10,000 race.