WELLINGTON, Fla.--Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, Fla., on Brad Wolf's Private Practice scored 177.50 points to win the $5,000 International Hunter Derby Welcome Stake over a field of 54 on March 2 at the Deeridge Derby, part of the Palm Beach Masters series at Deeridge Farms, a spectacular world-class venue in Wellington, Florida.
Victoria Colvin on Private Practice (Photo by Kathy Russell Photography)"We just got Peter two weeks ago so I didn't know what to expect," said Colvin. "He used to be a jumper and probably didn't have the scope needed to jump 1.60m, so they sold him to Brad. I think he is going to be a very special horse, especially for the derbies. It is a blast to ride in this open galloping field at Deeridge. It is like the old hunters. Our plan was to go a little slower and smooth, just to make sure he didn't convert back to his jumper days, but he was just great. His jumps were nice and smooth. All the lines rode nice and forward so we were able to just stroke right up the lines easily because he has such a big stride.
"WHEN WE first got him I thought, 'Wow this is a really nice horse and he might be able to win Derby Finals.' How often do you get a hunter who is careful and can jump 1.40-1.45m easily. Brad used to own Cuba, who won the Finals last year. Brad sold Cuba right before the Finals, so he is very excited about this horse because he has always wanted a Derby horse. Seeing that this was his first attempt at anything Derby, I think Brad might get his wish."
Hannah Isop on Tracy Freels' Red Ryder scored 172.0 to place second.
Red Ryder, a 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding, also came from the jumper ranks and has been doing the High Performance Hunters and Derbies ever since under the guidance of Isop.
Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy went early in the order and had led the class, but their score of 169.0 would not hold up, and Alfano and the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by Sharon O'Neill, wound up settling for third place.
The format for the Welcome Stake was one round over the Steve Stephens designed course with each entry being scored by two panels of two judges each who gave the competitors a score, then the two scores were added for the point total for the round.
Panel One was Robert Crandall and R. Scott Evans, and Panel Two was Sissy Wickes and Linda Andrisani.
The 3' Deeridge Hunter Derby Warm-Up was the busiest class of the day, with nearly 100 entries, and Daisy Farish of Lexington, Ky., and Meralex Farm's Cinemagic scored 174 points to win over Maria Rasmussen and Hobbs Lane, owned by Sunset View Farm, with a score of 170.5 points.
In the Deeridge Jumper Ring, the 1.30M Jumper II 2B was won by the North Star entry Darthus and Charlotte Jacobs, double clear with a jump-off time of 30.360 seconds.
Charlotte Jacobs on Darthus (Photo by Kathy Russell)"My horse has a big stride and I thought he could do a five stride to the bending line," Jacobs said. "I figured why not take a shot and he did it quite easily, so it worked out well."
The 1.20M Jumper II 2B was won by Savannah SN with owner/rider Jessie Smith i, double clear in 31.165.
THE CLASSIC Champions Tour classes for young horses concluded on March 1 with top awards given to 5, 6 and 7 year-old jumpers at the Deeridge Derby, and one of the winners is out of McLain Ward's wonderful mare Sapphire.
Senan Hayes on New York BC (Photo by Kathy Russell Photography)That was New York BC, a bay stallion owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock and ridden by Senan Hayes, who took top honors, the Award of Distinction, for the 5-Year-Old Division, with a win in the first competition of the division and a third place in Thursday's final event.
New York BC is by Presley Boy, who competed successfully at the international level under Mexican rider Jamie Azcarraga, and out of McLain Ward's gold medal Olympic mount Sapphire.
The "Classic Champions Award of Distinction" is given to the horse that the judges feel demonstrated exceptional jumping style, quality of canter and rideability.
"He was a little green out there and had a rail in the jump-off," said Hayes. "It was just something new, going a bit quicker. It happens. It is part of the process with the young ones. Young horses have to make mistakes, it is the only way they learn. These classes are very important because they give the young ones an opportunity to come into a place like this and figure it out."
Mevis De Muse and Brittni Raflowitz won the $7,500 Classic Champions 6-Year-Old Jumper Table II class, double clear rounds in 39.860.
"The course was technical enough for the young horses and it gave them a bit of a challenge," said Raflowitz. "To come out on the grass and see new things and jump new fences in a place like this is quite a test. But it all worked out and I am very proud of my baby. He has had a month off from showing, I try not to push him too hard. I feel that he already knows his job so I just try to not overdo it with him. He hasn't had a rail down in the show ring in five months. He has already surpassed my expectations."
The Classic Champions $15,000 7-Year-Old Jumper class was won by Taylor Flury on AliBoo Farm's Calano Z.
Flury has had the horse "since he was born," and she is the only person who has ever ridden or jumped him.
The Award of Distinction for the 7 Year-Olds was given to Celina, owned by Jane Forbes Clark and ridden by Ben Maher.
The mare, by Centadel out of Agronda, best exhibited all the criteria of exceptional jumping style, quality of canter and rideability.
The young horse classes are non-USEF rated, held in Deeridge Farms' beautiful grass Grand Prix Ring, and offer $40,000 in prize money.
