Oh say did you see? Anthem and Olympic rider Laura Kraut won their second consecutive $50,000 Budweiser Prix de Penn National. Of the 27 starters, only three made the jump-off. McLain Ward, Todd Minikus and Laura Kraut.

Going in the order they qualified, Kraut was last.

"Originally my plan in the jump off was to go as fast as I could," Kraut said, "because Todd Minikus and McLain Ward are incredibly fast and have super horses." Ward on Viktor was first and dropped a rail on the second fence. Oh Star and Minikus went clean up to the final fence, the Liverpool. Then it was splash down and all Kraut needed was a clear round. Time was less of a factor.

"Richard Jeffery, course designer, builds a nice course, but tonight the lines didn't ride the way they walked. The fence I worried about was the Liverpool," she admitted.

The Liverpool was the final fence in the jump-off. The fence was on a bending line towards the end of the ring. The glaring white rails offered little contrast to the white sidewall of the arena. " I added a stride to make sure I took it straight. Anthem was brilliant. He's a careful horse," she said. His care and her thought paid off.

The stadium cheering at each fence Anthem cleared, quieted as he approached the Liverpool. He sailed over. Applause rocked the arena.

He goes on to Washington International Show in DC where he and Kraut will compete as part of the United States Equestrian Team. Kraut is making a quick trip home to Oconomowoc, WI, a 13-hour drive, to see her young son and husband.