Articles: Press Release
Todd Minikus and Chellapo Z Show the Way in the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic
at Kentucky Spring Horse Show
Photo Credit: Todd Minikus and Chellapo Z had a blazing pace during their
clear jump-off round to win the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic at the Kentucky
Spring Horse Show. Photo: Rebecca Walton
Contact:
Rebecca Walton for
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
at (561) 753-3389 or at pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Lexington, KY - May 9, 2009 - It was all about speed for Todd Minikus and
Chellapo Z during their winning jump-off round in the $20,000 Bluegrass
Classic at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. The duo was able to edge out
Chistine McCrea riding Twister, and Beezie Madden aboard Play On during the
nine-horse jump-off held this morning in the new outdoor stadium at the
Kentucky Horse Park. Six horse and rider combinations completed double-clear
efforts, but it was Minikus and Chellapo Z's 35.396 second time that earned
the opportunity to lead the victory gallop.
Thirty-four horses competed over Richard Jeffery's first round course, which
consisted of a water jump with pole and lath scored, a double combination,
and a triple combination that's first jump was a triple bar followed by two
tall verticals. The jump-off course began with a vertical followed by the
double combination. Then riders continued to a single vertical and rode to
the last element of the triple combination, another single vertical. Finally
riders finished over two wide oxers located on the far end of the arena.
The first rider to complete a clear first round and have the opportunity to
compete in the jump-off was Keean White riding Whisper of Mazour, owned by
Anglestone Farm of Rockwood, ON. The pair made a good attempt but had a rail
coming out of the double combination, stopping the clock in 41.328 seconds
to finish in ninth place. Next to compete over the short course was Jeanne
Hobbs, of Southern Pines, NC, and Nielson B. The duo was the first to
successfully complete a fault-free jump-off round and set the time to catch
at 42.677 seconds, which would hold up for the sixth place award. James
Benedetto was quick to takeover Hobbs' lead when he and Trulli, owned by
Equinmity LLC of Stonybrook, NY, also left all jumps standing in a time of
37.905 seconds. Their score would earn them the fourth place honors.
Beezie Madden entered the ring next with her first jump-off mount,
Exclusive, owned by Elizabeth Busch Burke and John Madden Sales of
Cazenovia, NY. The pair had an unfortunate rail at the first fence, a white
vertical, but their time of 37.611 seconds would make them the fastest of
the four-faulters and place them in the seventh position. Charlie Jayne and
Thomas Edison, owned by Alex Jayne of Elgin, IL were the next to make a bid
for the lead but they found faults at the very last fence, a large blue
oxer, and moved into eighth place with a time of 38.952 seconds.
Mario Deslauriers and Tigger, owned by Jane Clark of New York, NY would be
the next horse and rider combination to complete a fault-free effort. The
pair stopped the clock in 38.295 seconds, falling just behind Benedetto and
Trulli to earn today's pink ribbon. Beezie Madden and Play On, owned by Alan
Shore Jr., were the seventh horse and rider combination to compete in the
jump-off and this time Madden wanted to take over the lead. She picked up a
very fast gallop, cutting the turn from the double combination to the second
vertical. The duo was clear and tripped the timers in 36.507 seconds to
overtake Benedetto and place third overall.
Todd Minikus entered the ring next with Chellapo Z, owned by Mimi Able-Smith
of Middleburg, VA, and he had a challenge ahead of him to beat Madden's
time. The pair picked up an even faster gallop and held it through every
turn while still leaving each rail in its cup. Racing across the finish line
in 35.396 seconds the pair took over Madden's lead and won the
class. Christine McCrea didn't let Minikus breath too easy as she stepped
into the ring next aboard Twister. The pair picked up a blazing gallop and
McCrea opened Twister's stride to each fence. McCrea and Twister were clean
and stopped the clock in 36.417 seconds, falling just short of Minikus, but
stepping ahead of Madden to take over the second place position.
"There were quite a few good horses and good riders in the jump-off," noted
Minikus. "Beezie looked like she had set a pretty hot pace on Play On. That
horse is an old vetern, he knows all the moves and he's been all over the
world showing. It looked like a pretty intimidating jump-off round. Long
story short I think I was just a little faster getting across the ground to
the oxers at the end. I didn't see Christina McCrea go but she must have
been pretty close; she ended up catching Beezie and was right behind
me. All and all I thought it was a good jump-off for people to watch and a
fun class."
Minikus continued, "This is the biggest class that Chellapo Z has done. He's
been doing some young horse classes with Katherine Newman whom I help, but
we decided to have me ride him this week. It was quite a treat and a
pleasure to show a quality young horse. He's quite a nice ride, just aim at
the middle and let him jump"
Tomorrow Minikus, of Loxahatchee, FL, will be competing in the $55,000
Commonwealth Grand Prix with Presidente, owned by Sleepy P Ranch of
Bartonville, TX, and his own Ultimo Van De Doude. "My plan is to be first
and second," he laughed. "Hopefully we can stick to our plan, but I'm sure
Beezie and Margie and Mario and everybody else is going to try and trip my
plan up; they're not going to scratch, so we'll see what happens."
The $55,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix will be taking place tomorrow in the new
outdoor stadium at 4 p.m., and will mark the conclusion of the Kentucky
Spring Horse Show. Next week the Kentucky Spring Classic will take place
March 13-17, and will feature the $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, and the
$55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix, sponsored by Air 51 and Audi of
Lexington.
For more information on the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows please go to
www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
RESULTS:
$20,000 BLUEGRASS CLASSIC
1 502 CHELLAPO Z TODD MINIKUS 70.181 35.396
2 92 TWISTER CHRISTINE MCCREA 74.303 36.417
3 14 PLAY ON BEEZIE MADDEN 73.426 36.507
4 245 TRULLI JAMES BENEDETTO 72.413 37.905
5 178 TIGGER MARIO DESLAURIERS 71.018 38.295
6 848 NIELSON B JEANNE HOBBS 74.604 42.677
7 10 EXCLUSIVE BEEZIE MADDEN 72.840 4 37.611
8 620 THOMAS EDISON CHARLIE JAYNE 71.428 4 38.952
9 82 WHISPER OF MAZOUKEEAN WHITE 76.791 4 41.328
10 358 GARTH LAURA KELLY 1 79.661
11 8 PRIMA BEEZIE MADDEN 4 69.547
12 636 ROMY TODD MINIKUS 4 70.413
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