by Nancy Jaffer | May 8, 2023
Great Britain’s Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo led wire-to-wire to win the Badminton Horse Trials by a mile, with a mere 1.6 time penalties added as they proceeded around a show jumping course that cost rails for all but four of the 30 competitors on the final day of the 5-star event.
The 2018 world champion, Ros could not be denied aboard last year’s runner-up, despite the sticky ground that foiled many on cross-country.
“He’s an out-and-out event horse and it’s a privilege to have him in your life,” said Ros, the fifth person in history to have won both Badminton and the individual world championship.
“He has character in every pore and makes us laugh every day,” she said of the horse they call Walter around the barn.
Ros Canter on her way to victory with Lordships Graffalo before a crowd that came out despite very British weather.
“I think I was at my calmest when I entered the arena, but it’s been a long day. He jumped a bit with his head in the air, but he wanted to clear the fences.”
She also wound up ninth with her winning mount’s half-sister, Pencos Crown Jewel, who had two rails and 0.4 time penalties in the final segment.
“It’s a long old journey to get something like this; two in the top 10 is a dream,” said Ros.
Austin O’Connor, who had dreamed of becoming the first Irishman to win Badminton since 1965, toppled two rails and accumulated 1.6 time penalties with Colorado Blue (51.9). That dropped him from second to third, behind 2021 Land Rover Kentucky winner Ballaghmor Class and Oliver Townend, who made the runner-up slot even with a rail and 0.4 time penalties. His total of 50.3 penalties was 15 behind the winner’s final score of 35.3.
“He’s unreal,” said Oliver of his horse.
“He’s had too many second places – blame the jockey – but it’s a huge relief that he’s had yet another good result.”
Making the best of things, Austin said, “Naturally I’m a bit disappointed, but to be on the podium with two heroes – two of the best riders in the world – is pretty amazing. The result is personally great for me, but I hope it will give Irish eventing a lift.”
It should. This was the first time in 40 years that an Irish rider has been on the podium at Badminton.
The first double clear on the challenging course came from Britain’s Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift, quickly followed by British Olympic individual silver medalist and team gold medalist Tom McEwen with Toldeo de Kerser, his mount of a decade. The Toms were the only two entries to achieve that double-clear distinction, ending up fifth and fourth respectively.
U.S. riders finished very respectably. Lillian Heard Wood had a show jumping rail with LCC Barnaby to finish on 91.5 penalties in twentieth place, a big step up from being sixtieth after dressage. Katherine and Monbeg Senna wound up with just 0.4 time penalties in the show jumping to end twenty third, after coming in twenty seventh in dressage and moving up a place after cross-country. She was among those four riders to achieve leaving all the rails in place in show jumping, quite a distinction.
In case you’re wondering why show jumping was on the Monday, the schedule had to be rearranged due to the coronation of King Charles III on the Saturday, which is usually cross-country day. To read about cross-country, look at the second story on the front of the website, or click on this link
On a sad note, WSF Carthago owned by Frank Breach and ridden by Fiona Kashel, had to be euthanized. Tied for 36th after dressage, he was eliminated on cross-country. The horse was treated in the veterinary clinic at Badminton and subsequently hospitalized. The extent of the injury found in surgery meant successful repair was not possible.
For complete results, click this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 7, 2023
This weekend’s Badminton Horse Trials in England is the world’s second 5-star-rated event in a row, but it has no shortage of entries–or spectators. In fact, Sunday’s cross-country was sold out. Even the Duke of Beaufort’s estate has room for only so many people.
Historic Badminton House.
Cross country on Sunday? Yes, since the coronation of King Charles III was thoughtlessly scheduled for Badminton’s usual cross-country Saturday, the event adjusted its timetable to move that segment. The event ends on Monday, May 8.
The leader after dressage, British rider Ros Canter,has an even wider edge after cross-country with Lordships Graffalo, who was second at Badminton last year. Kitty King, second in dressage on Vendredi Biats (22.3 penalties), was eliminated on cross-country.
No one made the optimum time cross-country, where the track was muddy after rain that had disturbed many preparations for Badminton. But Ros’ excellent clocking of 11.8 time penalties was outshone only by Irish rider Austin O’Connor’s 10.8 with Colorado Blue. However, he came up from a 34th-place tie in dressage to stand second overall with a total of 42.7 penalties.
The total for Ros, the 2018 individual world champion, is 33.7 penalties. That means she could topple two fences for a total of an extra eight penalties and still win.
“We all love Walter, and he had to dig deeper today than ever before, but I think he had a nice day out,” said Ros.
She cited the benefit of going out on the course prior to her effort with Walter. The only rider to get two horses around, she learned from that trip with Pencos Crown Jewel, who stands seventh.
Ros Canter triumphant in dressage on Lordships Graffalo (and that’s this pairing on cross-country in the featured image above) (Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials)
If Austin manages a victory, he would be the first Irish rider to take the trophy since Eddie Boylan did it in 1965.
Third place with 2021 Land Rover Kentucky winner Ballaghmor Class is Oliver Townend of Great Britain, moving up from sixth in dressage, now with a total of 45.9 penalties.
The 2022 Maryland 5-star winner, Tim Price of New Zealand, stands fourth with Vitali (51.1). In fifth place is Britain’s Tom McEwen, who impressed us at Land Rover Kentucky last weekend with his runner-up performance on JL Dublin. At Badminton, he has the ride on Toledo de Kerser (54.4).
“After watching the morning action, I just wanted a nice round,” Tom. said after his ride.
“I’ve messed up here too many times before with the best horse in the world. He tried really hard and was foot- perfect jumping, but the ground is now horrific, seriously tacky and holding.”
U.S. rider Lillian Heard Wood is 24th on LCC Barnaby with 87.5 penalties, moving up from 60th in dressage.
“He was awesome,” Lillian said of her mount.
“So smooth. I went pretty slow, but I so wanted to finish, I just said, OK, do it how you want.”
Her compatriot, Katherine Coleman (Monbeg Senna), moved up one place from dressage to 26th with a total of 93.8 in her second Badminton..
There are 30 left to contest the final phase Monday if all pass the horse inspection. Eleven horses were retired on cross-country, and 17 were eliminated, while six where withdrawn after dressage.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 4, 2023
It may seem as if there has always been a Kentucky Derby, but of course, everything has to start somewhere.
For the Derby, that was 1875, and its debut is the focal point of a book being published this month by Eclipse Press, “The First Kentucky Derby: Thirteen Black Jockeys, One Shady Owner and the Little Red Horse That Wasn’t Supposed to Win.”
It’s a long title that requires an even longer explanation, but let me set the stage and explain why you might be interested.
The first Saturday in May (except for the Covid year in 2020 and 1945 due to World War II) is renowned not only as a celebration of fleet thoroughbred three-year-olds at Churchill Downs, but also as a festival of outrageous and elaborate hats, as well as mint juleps. It’s a great excuse for a Derby party, no matter how far away you live from Louisvlle, Ky.
The race is the country’s longest continuously running sporting event. It actually was held in 1945 (June) and 2020 (September), just not on the first Saturday in May during those years. And in case you’re not paying attention, the first Saturday is this weekend.
People who know nothing about racing and don’t think about the thoroughbreds for the rest of the year often make it a point to watch the venerated feature, even if they aren’t betting on it. Or maybe they’re just placing a casual wager with friends.
So author Mark Shrager had a good idea when he decided to delve into the first Derby and its first winner Aristides, for his book. Except the project didn’t turn out the way he originally envisioned it.
As he did his research, he was intrigued to discover that 13 of the 15 jockeys in the first Derby were Black. In the 1870s, some of the Black jockeys were born into slavery. They had, according to Shrager, “dominated the sport so thoroughly and so long” that it wasn’t a surprise they were the majority in that first Derby. But today, he noted, it is rare to see a Black jockey. And he wondered why, deciding to broaden his focus in the volume he was researching.
The short answer about the disappearance of Black jockeys involves a number of situations, among them white jockeys’ resentment about the Black jockeys’ success, as well as a changing attitude toward race riding as an opportunity for whites (rather than a profession being unfit for white men), the prejudice of racehorse owners, who were mostly white, and the Jim Crow laws that limited the right of African-Americans post-Civil War.
Even though Black jockeys and trainers were commonplace on the scene in the 19th Century, there is little recorded in the way of their thoughts and observations about the races they won. The media in those days tended to focus strictly on white practitioners of the sport. So the author couldn’t get any insight on their views about Aristides, ridden by Black jockey Oliver Lewis and conditioned by Ansel Williamson, also Black. Their thoughts would have been illuminating, considering the outcome of the race.
Asteroid, a son of the great Lexington, with jockey Edward Brown (also known as Brown Dick, who started life as a slave) and trainer Ansel Williamson.
Aristides, you see, was supposed to play second-fiddle to his stablemate, Chesapeake. But when the latter failed to fire, Lewis made the decision to ignore the instructions he had been given before the post parade and go for it, putting the diminutive Aristides in the history books.
Churchill Downs and its distinctive twin spires.
No Black jockeys rode in the Derby between 1921 and 2000. The last Black man to win the Derby was Jimmy Winkfield in 1902. The last Black man to ride in the Derby was Kendrick Carmouche in 2021. He also has the distinction of winning the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct in 2018, but other Black jockeys are a rarity in the U.S. sport today.
Winkfield spent time riding in Russia and training in Europe, where he was not the victim of prejudice and racial slurs as he was in the U.S. But his place in history was recognized in 2004, when he was posthumously inducted in the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, recognized for his more than 2,500 victories over the course of his career.
Shrager’s book offers much more history and a look at a wide cast of fascinating characters, beyond covering the rise and fall of Black jockeys as a staple of the U.S. racing scene.
He delves into the English origins of the Derby name, and goes into detail about the life of Aristides’ owner, H. Price McGrath. A character if there ever was one, this entrepreneur and gambler (who spent a year in prison for running crooked card games) was also a club owner who made plenty of money in his pursuits. He bought a farm in Lexington, Ky., not far from where the Kentucky Horse Park is located today.
Included in the book are many of the Black players who made racing what it was after the Derby was born. Sadly, such names as jockey Isaac Murphy, the rider/trainer team of William Walker and Ed Brown likely will be unfamiliar to most readers, though they no longer remain strangers after a perusal of this book.
You’ll also learn about the controversial and hot-tempered Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, the creator of the Kentucky Derby, which began as a mile-and-a-half race. That is now the length of the Belmont, the third leg of the Triple Crown, while the Derby is a mile and a quarter and the Preakness, the middle leg of the Triple Crown, is a mile and three-sixteenths. (Both races are older than the Derby, but unlike the Derby, they did not run every year of their history.)
This book is worth a read, if you like horse racing and history. And you’ll find there’s a lot more to the Derby than just picking the right horse.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 2, 2023
If you weren’t able to get to Kentucky for the 5 star Land Rover Three-Day Event over the weekend, there are more chances to see highlights of the event in a one-hour show.
They will air on NBC on Saturday May 13 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time and on CNBC on Saturday May 27 at noon Eastern. And you can catch the $226,000 Kentucky CSI Invitational Split Rock Show Jumping Grand Prix (held on the night of the cross-country competition at the Kentucky Horse Park) on ESPNews on Sunday, May 7, at 10 a.m. Eastern.
In the meantime, enjoy these photos that didn’t make it to our regular coverage of the event. If you missed any of our stories, you can see them on the main page of the website, in the On the Rail section and by clicking the Previous Columns icon on the website’s masthead.
You had to love the fish jump at the Head of the Lake. Tamie Smith and Mai Baum had no problem with it on their way to winning the 5-star. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
In the old days, thoroughbreds were the eventing breed of choice. That’s no longer the case, but there are still a few ex-racehorses around the competitions, like Buck Davidson’s ride, Sorocaima, a veteran of 43 starts. He finished 22d. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
David O’Connor, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s chief of sport, went to his coach’s persona to train Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo before the dressage phase. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Eventing World Champion Yasmin Ingham of Great Britain was flawless in the dressage, finishing first, and clear in the show jumping phase with Banzai du Loir. The problem came at fence 6C on cross-country where she had a runout. “If you’re not winning, you’re learning, and that’s the quote I’m living by this weekend,” said Yasmi who finished 18th but has the 2024 Paris Olympics in her sights.
Daniel Bluman won the show jumping grand prix at Kentucky with Gemma. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Gail Wofford gave the new James C. Wofford On the Rise trophy to Young Rider Zach Brandt in memory of her husband. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
U.S. support team members jammed the Kiss and Cry stand during the awards ceremonies to cheer for the winners. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 30, 2023
It was a victory for persistence and a victory for the West Coast, but most of all, a victory for America, as Tamie Smith on Sunday became the first U.S. rider to win the 5-star Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event since 2008.
Everything was on the line as Tamie and Mai Baum entered the Rolex Stadium, the crowd of 23,576 adding to the tension as they riveted on the rider who would be either a heroine or a disappointment. She wasn’t showing the nerves she felt, but there was no middle ground for the Californian and her 17-year-old equine partner, who looked as determined as his rider. They had to be: Either the duo succeeded or horse and rider would fail most publicly.
Tom McEwen of Great Britain had just completed a perfect trip with the remarkable JL Dublin, ending on a score of 27.8 penalties for his weekend. Tamie had 24.2 penalties, with nothing added to her dressage score, when she trotted into the arena. Four faults for a knockdown would give the crown (it is coronation week) to Tom.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
A study in concentration, Tamie was total determination as she handled the daunting task. Mai Baum, better known as Lexus, cleared fence after fence, tapping one, and then two, with his hooves as spectators murmured uneasily. Finally Tamie was up and over the final obstacle, the Defender oxer, smiling even before Lexus touched the ground and flashed through the finish line.
Tamie Smith smiling as she knows she has a perfect trip. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The crowd erupted, knowing how long the U.S. national championship had waited for one of its own to claim the prize. Tamie let her mount go in an exuberant gallop, flying around the ring in triumph, a study in joy and accomplishment.
“I feel like everybody carried me over that horse show jump course,” she said, as she thought back on her round over the Steve Stephens-designed course.
Asked for comment after she had gotten dozens of heartfelt hugs, a lease on a Land Rover Defender vehicle, and $123,000 in prize money, Tamie tried to gather her thoughts.
“I’m pretty numb,” she said.
“It’s almost like an out-of-body experience. I’m honored and elated and so excited, I’m speechless, obviously.”
She added, “This sport, you take a beating. The resilient ones just keep coming back for more. And you have that one day it pays off, and today it did.”
Added Tamie, “I’m so happy an American won. I’m so tired of the Europeans coming over and taking our national championship.”
I asked what’s next for Mai Baum, better known as Lexus. The 17-year-old German sporthorse gelding had some time out of the top level after an injury from the end of 2019 to the spring of 2021, but he came back strong with a ninth-place finish at Badminton and a contribution to the silver medal U.S. team at the 2022 world championships.
“I’d like to have him for Paris (the Olympics) next year,” mused Tamie.
“He’s healthy and he’s strong and he’ll tell me what he wants to do next. He doesn’t really owe me anything after something like this. He’ll tell me when he’s kind of ready to throw in the towel. He definitely doesn’t show any signs of that.”
In fact, she said, “today he jumped out of his skin.” Next for him is a rest, of course, and possibly some show jumping this fall (she trains with Scott Keach in that discipline.)
Tamie called Lexus “an unbelievable creature.” She took over the ride at the urging of her working student, Alex Ahearn, who wanted to go to college and handed the reins to Tamie. Reluctant to ride a working student’s horse because she wouldn’t want it to be a pressure situation, Tamie finally agreed and the partnership thrived.
Tom, who had to rush off and catch a plane back to England so he could ride two horses at the Badminton 5-star this week, was happy to briefly recap his Kentucky experience.
“I’m delighted with Dublin. Dubs has been unreal all week and I couldn’t be happier,” he said, noting their partnership is relatively new, having only begun late last season.
He called the Kentucky fixture “a true championship test” adding, “it’s brilliant for eventing in America to have Tamie win, an American winner.”
Third place went to Liz Halliday-Sharp on the U.S.-bred Miks Master C in his first 5-star, coming in on 28.5 penalties.
“He is the most amazing horse. I hope he will be my Olympic horse. He’s such a kind, generous horse and he gave everything,” she enthused.
Liz Halliday-Sharp celebrates her clean show jumping round on Miks Master C. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Having U.S. riders first and third was an achievement. Tamie gave credit to efforts of former eventing high performance director Erik Duvander, noting “he put blood, sweat and tears into U.S. eventing.”
Referring the weekend’s success, she said, “I think it’s the culmination of his dedication and hard work.”
He no longer works for the U.S. Equestrian Federation, which did not renew his contract, but she noted even so, “I think what you’re seeing is the fruits of his labor and ours as well.”
Tamie is the ninth 5-star winner who has been trained by Erik. She and Liz both continue to work with him, as do several other top eventers, including Boyd Martin and Ariel Grald.
World Champion Yasmin Ingham finished 18th with Banzai Du Loir following a fault-free show jumping trip, but it was a comedown after she won the dressage. The British rider had a run-out on cross-country at the C-element of the coffin complex, and then accumulated 20 time faults on top of that.
“The main thing today was to come out and do our best,” the British rider said with a gracious smile after completing the show jumping.
“If you’re not winning, you’re learning, and that’s the quote I’m living by this weekend. I’ve watched the video back many times already, analyzing where I went wrong.
“My approach to the coffin was too far right. It ended up we jumped the ditch way too far to the right. I didn’t give him a chance to get to the C element. I’m kicking myself more than anything. I know that he’s still an amazing horse and we can come out of this stronger, so that’s the main thing. It was a great course to ride around the rest.”
Zachary Brandt, 24th on Direct Advance, received the inaugural James C. Wofford “On the Rise” memorial trophy as the best-finishing Young Rider in the competition. The award is a memorial to the rider, trainer, author, and commentator, who died in February. He was known as a spotter of potential eventing talent.
For stories from Kentucky that ran over the last week, go to the On the Rail section. Others are available if you click on the Previous Columns icon on the masthead.
Click here for the final 5-star results. Click on this link for the 4-star results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 30, 2023
“Thank you for coming. See you next year.”
Daniel Bluman, winner of Saturday night’s $226,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix, greeted fan after fan from a crowd of 10,224 as they passed while he rode in a golf cart from the Rolex Stadium to a post-competition press conference.
The competition he won with his long-time mount, Gemma, at the Kentucky Horse Park meant a lot to him. He explained there’s nothing else like it in this country in terms of the size of the crowd and the atmosphere.
“In my opinion, the most beautiful part of this grand prix is the crowd,” Daniel observed.
“We owe them for how good this grand prix is,” he added, explaining why he made an effort to connect one-on-one with fans.
Daniel Bluman and Gemma take a bow. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“The turnout of people and how supportive they are to every rider, it brings such an atmosphere…that is not something you get to see in North America very often anymore. It’s really cool to have an atmosphere like that.”
He was one of 39 starters in the class, which took place as an extra attraction after a day of cross-country competition in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event.
The jumper feature drew 39 starters over Guilherme Jorge’s course, which topped out at 1.55 meters. The 10 best came back for a second round, in which entries placed on the basis of faults and time. In addition to Daniel, clocked in 46.3 seconds for the win, those who wound up with double-clear trips included the USA’s rapidly rising star, Lacey Gilbertson with Karlin Van’t Vennehof (0/0/47.16) in second place, and her trainer, Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam, aboard James Kann Cruz (0/0/48.03) in third. Last year’s winner, Conor Swail of Ireland, missed the podium with a double clear on Casturano in 48.79. The only other double-clear was Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza, fifth on I-Cap CL Z (0/0/49.67).
The grand prix podium: Daniel Bluman (center), Lacey Gilbertson and Shane Sweetnam.
Daniel started working with Gemma, who is 12, seven years ago.
“She’s become really fast all over the place,” he said.
“She has a lot of personality, and from the beginning, she was a very careful horse. She wanted to leave the jumps up. She’s very sensitive, but we’ve grown into having a very nice partnership, which is what I aim to have with my horses. She’s part of my family by now. She’s a really smart horse, and as the years go by and she jumps more rounds, she learns more and becomes quicker.”
Daniel rides for Israel and is optimistic that country’s team will qualify for the Paris Olympics next year. He noted the addition of Robin Moore from France to the squad is a plus. It also includes Californian Ashlee Bond, and Daniel’s cousin, Mark, will soon be joining the Israeli contingent.
As always, the national anthem of the winner is played during the awards ceremony, and Daniel got emotional when asked about his feelings upon hearing Hatikvah, the Israeli anthem.
He formerly rode for Colombia, but changed his citizenship to honor his roots. His grandfather, he explained, spent three years in the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II.
“Israel has a very deep meaning for myself and my family. It’s a country that represents a lot for the Jewish people. It has really changed the situation for the Jewish communities around the world, to know you have a country that will always welcome you and always protect you,” he said.
“I felt if I could add a little bit to what Israel means by representing it in the world and trying to let the world know there is a side of Israel that perhaps is not often spoken about. But I feel it was sort of my obligation to do that, something that would make me proud.
“I feel I owe it to my grandfather,” Daniel explained.
“If he didn’t make it through those three years in the concentration camp, we wouldn’t be around here. I get very excited every time I hear Hatikvah.”
Lacey and Karly, who was Shane’s mount previously, have made quite an impression on the show jumping scene in the year since she’s been riding the mare.
Lacey Gilbertson and Karly. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“She’s naturally fast, very brave, and we get along really well,” said Lacey.
Shane is glad to have matched Karly with his student (even as she finished ahead of him in the class) and he is excited at how well James Kann Cruz is doing.
The handsome gray gelding “is still young, only 10 and still changing, but he loves to jump, as everyone can see,” Shane said.
“He’s impressive, can be a bit of a handful, but he knows his job.” Shane added, “There’s still a lot of room for improvement for him, and hopefully, if I’m lucky to have him stay healthy and keep loving his job, fingers crossed, we are still only on the way up.”
Click here for complete results from the class presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.
