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Kenneth Kraus of Phelps Media Group, Inc.
at (561) 753-3389 or at pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

Lexington, Kentucky - August 5, 2006 - A comfortable evening and the beautiful setting at the Johnson ring provided the perfect venue for the Kentucky Classic $40,000 Grand Prix. A large and enthusiastic crowd enjoyed a barbecue and watched the field of 26 riders tackle Richard Jeffery's 14-fence course from under the Mesker Pavilion and perched in a flotilla of golf carts on the bank overlooking the ring.

First to go was Robert Kraut on Happy Hill Farm's Providence. Kraut was off to a great start until the open water at fence 11, where Providence had a toe in the water. Kraut finished well within the time allowed of 92 seconds, with only the four faults from the water. The open water at 11 would continue to plague riders throughout the evening.

Second out of the gate, Beezie Madden aboard Abigail Wexner's Integrity gave the crowd their first clear round, Madden fluidly completing the course with a time of 85.066.

Next up, Jeff Martin and Hojagergards Clinton ran into trouble at the water jump and had a rail at number 12, the Hagyard Davidson Mcgee oxer coming into the crowd under the pavilion.

Jeffery's course daunted several more riders including Margie Engle on Hidden Creek's Wapino and Lisa Jacquin aboard Kassidy. It wasn't until Madden returned with her second mount of the evening, Wexner's Desilvio, that the crowd could celebrate another clear round.

Soon after Desilvio's clear first round, Donald Cheska and King posted a clear round, joining Madden for the jump off.

The water jump continued to be problematic and provided a scary moment when Whitney Boyce and Ironic took a frightening spill after the water. The Hagyard horse ambulance took Ironic to their clinic for close examination and the good news late last night was that it looks like both Ironic and Boyce will be fine.

In the 22nd slot, Cara Raether and Trelawny Farm's U Blesco treated the crowd to another fault free round and that made it four for the jump off.

When Meghan Moran and Graf Lando completed the course with not a rail down or a toe in any water, for a moment it look like it would be five. Unfortunately, the clock was not forgiving and Moran was just over the time allowed at 92.234.

Last to go, Tony Font and YZ Partners' Gardenio kept the crowd on the edge of their seats until the fence 13, the Calumet Farm triple combination, where they had a rail at the first element.

Just in time for the jump-off, the sun seemed to start disappearing and the shadows in the ring deepened. The seven-fence jump-off included the "b" elements of two combinations, as well as a tall vertical with the Liverpool beneath. Madden and Integrity returned first for the jump-off and set the bar, thrilling the crowd with a clear round and a time to beat of 34.503. She then returned with Desilvio trying to best her own time on Integrity. It looked like another clear round for Madden until the last fence, the Keeneland vertical, where it seemed like Desilvio barely touched the fence. The pair finished with four faults and a time of 36.827.

Cheska and King did their best to beat Madden's time, but unfortunately had an early rail and ended with a time of 43.221.

Last of the four to go, Cara Raether and the nine-year-old stallion U Blesco provided another clear round and a time of 42.651, good enough for second place. "We got U Blesco at the beginning of this year," said Raether. "Kentucky Spring was our first big show, so we're thrilled with him."

Raether enjoyed the course. "Richard always sets a nice, interesting course. The course was certainly challenging. There was nothing out there for free," she commented. "The water jump was definitely tricky. Luckily, the water is an easy fence for U Blesco."

Madden agreed with Raether about the course. "The course was built well," said Madden. "It was technical with lots of options." Like U Blesco and Raether, Madden and Integrity are a new team. "Abigail bought him in May after the Charlotte show and I first showed him at Spruce Meadows. We did change his name," she explained. "When we bought him from Laura Kraut, his name was Panic. We thought Integrity had a better ring to it."

Results of Class 280 - $40,000 Kentucky Classic Grand Prix

2 633 U BLESCO CARA RAETHER 0.00 90.165 0.00 42.651 $8800 TRELAWNY FARM

3 342 DESILVIO BEEZIE MADDEN 0.00 88.439 4.00 36.827 $5200 ABIGAIL WEXNER

4 129 KING DONALD CHESKA 0.00 90.021 4.00 43.221 $3200 DONALD CHESKA

5 889 GRAF LANDO MEGHAN MORAN 1.00 92.234 $2400 MEGHAN MORAN

6 1067 HC WAPINO MARGIE ENGLE 4.00 86.683 $2000 HIDDEN CREEK FARM

7 893 PROVIDENCE ROBERT KRAUT 4.00 87.255 $1600 HAPPY HILL FARM

8 656 REMONTA EDEN SANDY VAN DYKE 4.00 88.375 $1200 SANDY VAN DYKE

9 182 GARDENIO TONY FONT 4.00 89.081 $1200 YZ PARTNERS LLC

10 1066 HC OSCAR MARGIE ENGLE 4.00 90.883 $800 HIDDEN CREEK FARM

11 606 PIM NIALL GRIMES 8.00 85.466 $800 GEOFF SUTTON

12 690 CAVALIER'S ROYAL DIAMOND SHANE SWEETNAM 8.00 87.806 $800 LOUIS TERRAMAGRA