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SAUGERTIES,
NY (August 9, 2010)— Charlie Jayne and Athena, owned
by The London Group, captured Sunday's $125,000 Strongid®
C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer
Animal Health, to conclude the summer series at HITS-on-the-Hudson
in Saugerties, New York.
The win marks Jayne's eighth Grand Prix needed to become eligible
for the Pfizer Million and he now enters the Eligible
Rider Rankings at lucky number 13.
Jayne, of Elgin, Illinois and Athena were one of 33 horse-and-rider
combinations to ride the course designed by Jose "Pepe" Gamarra
of Ellenton, Florida, which saw eight pairs advance to the jump-off.
"It was a difficult course," said Jayne. "When I walked it I expected
maybe four to go clean, I was surprised."
Pepe's first-round course featured 13 efforts, including two different
combinations and an open water jump. The track proved difficult
as the first four starters failed to go clean until superstars
Jeffery Welles of Brewster, New York and Armani, owned
by Abigail Wexner & Triton Ventures, succeeded. Like Jayne, this
Grand Prix was also Welles' eighth, making him eligible for the
Pfizer Million.
Two trips later, Kent Farrington of Chicago, Illinois and Valhalla,
owned by Haity McNerney, went clean to guarantee a jump-off. Pepe's
course featured a triple combination to a 1.60 meter plank, which
proved to be one of the most difficult lines for many on course.
By the end of the first round, Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida and Vince, owned by Bynum Farms; Peter Leone of
Greenwich, Connecticut and Select, owned by Lionshare Farm
& Ger Poels; Marie Hecart of Ridgefield, Connecticut and Myself
de Breve, owned by Top Stallion; Kate Levy of Wellington,
Florida and Vent Du Nord, owned by Kate Levy, LLC; and
Candice King of Wellington, Florida aboard Skara Glen's Davos,
owned by Skara Glen Stables, all joined Welles, Farrington and
Jayne for the jump-off.
The jump-off course featured six jumping efforts, including a
combination midway through the course, with a time allowed of
44 seconds. First to go in the jump-off was Welles and Armani
who went at a lightning speed to set the pace; however, they had
the last fence down and would ultimately place third.
Farrington and Valhalla were next to show and looked to
capture the lead, but the pair had three rails down and six time
faults, so they had to settle for seventh.
Third to show was Torano and Vince,
who set the Great American Time
to Beat at 33.738 seconds, which took the lead and created
thunderous applause for the first double-clear effort of the class.
Leone and Select returned next and had four faults in 34.081
seconds, which would ultimately place them in fourth.
Hecart and Myself De Breve, the winner's of Friday's $25,000
HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, looked to
capitalize on their recent win. The pair had eight faults in 32.996
seconds, the fastest time in the jump-off, which earned them sixth
place.
Next to show was Jayne and Athena, looking for their first
victory this year at HITS-on-the-Hudson, and a chance to compete
in the Pfizer Million. The pair produced a clean round
in 33.340 seconds, less than half a second faster than Torano
and Vince to take the lead.
"When I first saw Jeffery [Welles] go I knew he was fast," said
Jayne. "I just decided to go fast and hope for the best."
The best came through as the remaining two rounds failed to catch
Jayne. Levy and Vent Du Nord faced elimination after several
refusals, while King and Skara Glen's Davos had four faults
in 34.753 seconds to earn a fifth-place ribbon.
"She's not so big," Jayne said with a smile of his ten year-old
Belgium Warmblood Mare. "I got her when she was eight, she tries
very hard and she's really coming into her own."
The young duo have found themselves an opportunity to compete
for the richest prize in show jumping history."I'm excited to
return in September for the Pfizer Million," said Jayne.
The road to the Pfizer Million goes straight to HITS Culpeper
starting with the Winston National on Wednesday, August 18 through
August 22 and then the Constitution Classic from August 25 through
August 29. As only four Grand Prix qualifiers remain, HITS Culpeper
will offer two of the four, those being the $40,000 HITS Grand
Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. HITS Culpeper will also
feature the $5,000 Devoucoux
Hunter Derby each Saturday. Show Jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson
in Saugerties, New York returns Wednesday, September 1, for two
consecutive weeks that will culminate on September 12 with the
Pfizer Million Grand Prix and John Fogerty Live-in-Concert.
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