Ocala, FL – An exceptional field of 57 horse-and-rider combinations took to the WEC Grand Arena early this morning to compete for the blue in the $10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix. Horses were jumping to perfection today with 26 of 57 delivering a clean first round over Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) track. Ultimately, Evan M. Coluccio and Diabolo De La Roque (Levistan x Mystique De la Roque) took the win in the class, besting 17 other double clear efforts.
Coluccio (USA) and the nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding entered the WEC Grand Arena toward the middle of the order delivering a flawless first round in 69.230 seconds, well under the time allowed of 75 seconds.
Coluccio was very proud of Diabolo De Roque, “He has grown up so much. I think he has a big future ahead of him. This was one of his bigger wins and to be able to get a win in a class that big, in this arena, is so exciting. We were so thrilled to be here. We came all the way from Virginia and do not regret it one bit.”
Coluccio and Diabolo De La Roque flew through the timers in 33.030 seconds, just 0.07 seconds faster than second place finisher, Richard Spooner (USA).
“With that many entries I knew it was going to be a fast class, so I used my horse’s stride to my advantage. I did one stride less wherever I could. He stayed with me when I pushed, and he was in it to win it.”
Richard Spooner and Imagination Lane’s Calexio VDL (Cardento x Wonder A.S.) were early path finders in today’s $10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix, where they delivered a beautiful first round and a super-fast jump-off in 33.100 seconds to ultimately take home second place.
Angel Karolyi (VEN) slid into third place toward the end of the order with Imani Mackani’s S & L Sage (Wandor Van De Mispelaere x Bonbon VII De Ninive). Karolyi and the 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding laid down a clean first round in 68.209 seconds and a speedy jump-off effort that stopped the timers in 33.593 seconds.
$10,000 Buckeye Nutrition Futures Prix Results:
1 Diabolo De La Roque, Evan M. Coluccio (USA), Hampton Green Farm LLC: 0 | 0 | 33.030
2 Calexio VDL, Richard Spooner (USA), Imagination Lane: 0 | 0 | 33.100
3 S & L Sage, Angel Karolyi (VEN), Imani Mackani: 0 | 0 | 33.593
4 After Eight, Jad Dana (LBN), Springhill Farm 1850, LLC: 0 | 0 | 33.970
5 MTM McIntosh, Tracy Fenney (USA), Nina Koloseike: 0 | 0 | 34.060
6 Calicia 2, Alberto Michan (ISR), Franziska Klause: 0 | 0 | 34.745
7 Clip De La Haye Z, Leslie Howard (USA), Laure Sudreau & Peter Howard: 0 | 0 | 34.761
8 Finna W, Savannah Jade Jenkins (USA), Gugler Sport Horses GMBH & Co.Kg: 0 | 0 | 34.873
9 Orchidee VD Bisschop, Stefano Baruzzo (ARG), Stefano Baruzzo LLC: 0 | 0 | 34.951
10 Ike, Juan Rodriguez Silva (GUA), Rodriguez Equestrian: 0 | 0 | 35.242
Photos courtesy of Andrew Ryback Photography.
Videos available at ClipMyHorse.TV.