Piergiorgio Bucci and Heartbreaker vd Achteroe (Sportfot)

Wellington, Fla. - Olaf Petersen Jr. of Germany set the 1.45m speed course on Friday with 42 entries and 12 clear rounds. Bucci and SPCS's Heartbreaker vd Achteroe had the winning time of 64.15 seconds. They beat out Laura Chapot and Quointreau un Prince, owned by Chapot and McLain Ward, who finished second in 65.19 seconds. Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC's Beluga clocked in at 66.54 seconds to place third. Eric Lamaze (CAN) guided Carol Sollak's Brooklyn Blues to fourth in 67.50 seconds.

Class winner Heartbreaker vd Achteroe is an eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Bentley van de Heffinck x Catango Z) that Bucci has had for less than six months. Although they are still getting to know each other, they had a great round on Friday, and Bucci thinks that in time they will be even faster.

"I have not had him for so long. He is quite green, but he is a very good horse," Bucci stated. "I am just getting to know him. He is really a sport horse. He is competitive. When I know him better and he is more experienced, I think I could do this course even two seconds less. I started at the beginning holding him a little bit, but still he was really fast."

Chapot was leading with a very fast time before Bucci entered the ring, but he rode his own plan. "I didn't see Laura, but I had my course in my mind and I didn't want to change it because of her," he explained. "I tried to do my best and it was enough today, luckily."

Although he has been to Wellington to visit before, this year is Bucci's first time showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

"I have been here three or four times, but this is my first time with my horses competing," Bucci explained. "Unfortunately, my best horse was injured after the first week, so I struggled a little bit with the others because they are young. It is tough classes to win here for anyone, but I am happy for this win, to get some confidence. It feels very good."

Based in Holland, Bucci will return to Europe and plans to compete for Italy in the Nations Cup in Lummen, Belgium, at the end of April. He has other horses resting at home and will continue to develop the young ones that showed throughout WEF.

Also competing on Friday, Todd Minikus (USA) and Spring Girl won the morning's 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Qualifier sponsored by the Holtgers Family. The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge was held in a California Split with a win for Daniel Zetterman (SWE) and Gyllebo Farm LLC's Chellana in Section A and Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) with Stephex Stables' Q Royal Palm Z in Section B.