Kirsten Coe and Baronez pictured with (from left) Moti Ferder, Equ Lifestyle's Francisco Pasquel, Tomas Harlan, Melissa Brandes, Robert Ridland, Nathalie Cooper and RJ Brandes. CapturedMomentPhoto.com.
Third in the order and first clean was nineteen-year-old Saer Coulter riding Corpernicus Stable's Cash 51. Several tried, but none succeeded until Kirsten Coe galloped in on the high jumping Combina (Ilan Ferder, owner), who didn't touch a single rail. Soon after another solid female show jumper, Michelle Spadone, rode Morgan Hill Partner's Uwwalon without fault. Not another couple went clean until Coe returned on her second mount, Ilan Ferder's Baronez, and then there were three fabulous females to return on four horses.
The jump-off was a true test of speed and accuracy, as the time allowed was tight and two of the four contenders ended up with time faults. First in, Coulter on Cash 51, had the time but lowered three jumps on course to finish fourth. Coe and Combina again did not touch a rail, but exceeded the time allowed for a score of two time faults, which ended up second. Spadone also went beyond the allotted time and hit the final jump for six total faults and third for the night. Determined to not have a time fault, Coe returned on Baronez and jumped double clean to clench the win.
"The is the first time [Baronez] has jumped indoors. She didn't ride any different, she's true blue, a great mare," remarked Coe. When asked about the speed aspect, Coe admitted, "I've been working all summer on time allowed. I tend to sacrifice speed for beauty. So when I went in on Baronez, I pushed myself to pick up the pace, whether or not I had a jump down, I wasn't going to have time faults!"
Palacios designed a track with a variety of tests, difficult to jump clean yet not difficult to get around. Each of the twelve numbered efforts came down with the exception of fence eight. The back rail of the final fence, a wide liverpool oxer in front of the in-gate, came out of the cups most often, catching about a third of the class.
The eight four faulters rounded out the fifth through twelfth placed ribbons. Rusty Stewart and Bristol (Grey Fox Farm, owner) went first and were tremendous until a heartbreak rail at the last jump, still good enough for ninth. Winner of Wednesday’s class, Karl Cook on Uno De Laubry (Signe Ostby, owner), also had just one rail at fence nine, ultimately finishing seventh. Even faster than Cook, Mark Watring on his Green Sleepes Vioco also had four in the combination, taking home the sixth place.
After lowering the height of fence two, Will Simpson rode Platinum Capital Management’s Black Cherry without having another rub, finishing ninth. Coulter on her second mount, Copernicus Stables' Victory DA, had four at 11a and was the slowest of the four fault group for twelfth place. The heartbreak final fence caught Harley Brown aboard Angelli (Paige Harryman, owner), who took the tenth spot tonight. Four faults at fence 5b put Cook and Signe Ostby’s ABS Conquistador in eighth place. Saving the fastest four faults until last, Michelle Parker and Cross Creek Farm’s Socrates De Midos, had a late rail at 11b and took home the fifth place ribbon.
The excitement didn't end there. Throngs of fans lined up at the autograph table directly after the event. Meredith Michaels Beerbaum and her husband Markus Beerbaum joined the group of tonight's top riders in penning their names on autograph sheets galore.
The Medal Final season continues in San Juan Capistrano at the Blenheim Fall Tournament, finishing the week with Saturday's ASPCA Maclay Regional Medal. The World Cup Qualifying and much more will light up Las Vegas during the Las Vegas National, November 2-6, 2011 at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa's Equestrian Arena.