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Louisville - Tuesday Evening



 

The Amateur Gentlemen’s division is often the domain of the catch riders. That was the case in the top spot in the Amateur Gentlemen’s Three-Gaited World’s Championship. Scott Robinson made it two for two for Elisabeth Goth LLC, winning it with Northern Asset. A winner last night in the gaited version of this class with The Embezzler, Scott Robinson is an owner/trainer/rider from the West Coast. A rider all his life, his grandfather was a horse trainer. Elisabeth made a heck of a good choice to ride two top horses, and it paid off with two Louisville blues for Visser Stables. Northern Asset is by Callaway’s Northern Kiss and out of Fort Chiswell’s Cruella Deville. Speaking of great catch riders, Gabe Deknatel was on one his own tonight. When you think back of all the success he has had when riding under the direction of John Conatser, it’s frightening and tonight was no exception. Gabe Deknatel and Roselane’s First In Line were the reserve winners for High Hickory Farm. Trained by John Conatser, First In Line is by I’m First and out of Callaway’s Drama Mama, by CH Caramac. Michael Petty made his Louisville debut a great one to finish third with CH Mighty Thor for Ghareeb Equine Investments. CH HS Dignitary also carried a Louisville debut performer, Max Liberty. They took fourth for DeLovely.

John Conatser pointed to the sky as he won a National Three-Year-Old Futurity for the tenth time! Tonight it was the ASR Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited National Futurity with Rose Arbor’s Moving Out. It was a great night for Wine Women And Song and Melinda Moore as well, as her stud was the sire of both the World’s Champion and Reserve World’s Champion, getting her both chunks of breeder’s reward money. Moving Out is out of Cocktail Ring, herself a prize winner in this class, finishing fourth back in 2005. Oddly enough, Melinda was one of the judges that year. It’s a small world. Melinda bred the reserve winner Crazysexycool herself. The filly got a nice sendoff from the crowd with Robert Gardiner up for his Chevelle Show Horses. Crazysexycool is out of Arrowhead’s Moonglow, a daughter of VHF The Licorice Drop Kid and World’s Champion Cary’s Moonraker. She cuts a striking figure in the show ring, as befits her pedigree.

I’m Still Dreamin’ was the unanimous choice in the Amateur Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under class. It’s always great to see Barbara Goodman Manilow on a walk-trot horse; she just seems at home in this division where she has had so much success. Bob Griffin and Donna Pettry Smith headed up the winner for Skyline Stables. James Nichols, who had this horse as a youngster, got a hug over the rail from Donna as the prizes finished out. Still Dreamin’ is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Callaway’s Blue Topaz, dam of World’s Champion The Proof Is In The Heir. Vicki Reed and Mesmerizing made one of their best shows to finish as the Reserve World’s Champions for Sam and Vicki Reed and trainer A.J. Bruwer. Mesmerizing is by Capitol Fire and out of Miss Cruella De Vil, an Heir To Champagne mare. These two have won at Southern Saddlebred Spring Fling, Midwest Charity, and Shelbyville already this year. Elizabeth Ververeli and Re-Energized had their best-ever Louisville finish in third for Devore Stables. Callaway’s Naughty And Nice kept it going for the Devores in fourth with Ali DeGray up for Helen Rich.

From a line of grand mares, Callaway’s Sweet Thing added her name to the list of World’s Champions out of the great Sweet Sachet (BHF). By Callaway’s Blue Norther, Sweet Thing blasted into the ring with Allison Combs and never let up on the gas until she was crowned the World’s Champion for Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Shires and Allison Combs. Headed up by Smith Lilly and Andrea Harry, Sweet Thing joins World’s Champion siblings Callaways Annie C, Callaway’s Winning Ways, and Callaway’s No More Mr. Nice Guy. CH Divine Asset made her first show since Louisville 2014. A winner the last three years, she was reserve tonight with Jacqueline Beck. The entry of Golden Lantern Farms is by Attache’s Royal Assets and out of Step N Time Venus. They will seek that ever-elusive blanket of flowers on Saturday night. Many Pearls was third for Cindy Siders and Carl T. Fischer Jr., with Don’t Miss Out and Drew Taylor Hewitt fourth for Barbara Goodman Manilow.

Reserve in this class a year ago, Kenny Smith turned the tables this time with HS Daydream’s Celebrity. By Sir William Robert and out of the great A Daydream Believer (BHF), Celebrity has all of that grace and curvy beauty that is the hallmark of this cross. Owned by Barbara Goodman Manilow, he was the Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under World’s Champion tonight. Donna Pettry Smith was extra pumped up for this one, her second victory pass of the night to head up with Bob Griffin and the third of the day for Skyline Stables. Winner of this class a year ago and the reigning Three-Gaited Reserve World’s Grand Champion, Don O’Neill took a reserve honor tonight with Chris Reiser. The World Calm LLC is famously bred. He is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of one of the great gaited mares, World’s Grand Champion Garland’s Dream. They were Three-Gaited Champions at Lexington Junior League last month. Sir Silver Knight made one of his best shows yet with Kim Cowart to keep Annika Bruggeworth’s sensational week going in third. Callaway’s Blaire and Robert Gardiner took the white ribbon back to High Spirits Farm.

Nelson Green had the spectacular Katharine The Great right on point for a unanimous win in the ASR Three-Year-Old Fine Harness National Futurity. A star a year ago, she has blossomed even more for High Spirits Farm. By Undulata’s Nutcracker, she is out of Katharine’s Perfect Night, a daughter of Mountainview’s Oh Heavenly Day. The dark chestnut filly is just about perfect. She has the ideal neck shape and carries it in an almost impossible fashion. The two studs that have been linked for the past decade sired the top two here, as Sir William Robert had the reserve winner, Sir Graham Cracker. This one is out of Crackers In Bed, by Undulata’s Nutcracker. Kathy Capusto Walker drove her entry tonight, headed up by T.J. Santaferra. Graham Cracker’s second dam is a full sister to World’s Coco Loco and Coco Royale. Jim Cherry and the beautiful Clara Lynn scored a third place prize for Tri-Color Ventures, with Triumphal and Peter Palmer fourth for Saddlewood Farm.

Twice a Reserve World’s Champion last year, including the Junior Three-Gaited Reserve World’s Champion of Champions title, Undulata’s Simbara has matured into an even greater amateur horse. Still trained by Neil Visser, Simbara is now teamed with Erin Sembler Eichenbaum for Diane Sembler Kamins. By Undulata’s Nutcracker, Simbara is out of Gotta Secret, by Harlem Globetrotter. Gotta Secret has produced two World’s Champion, this one and Undulata’s Secret Rendezvous. He was the unanimous Amateur Three-Gaited Over 15.2 World’s Champion tonight.  Kalarama’s Blue Mac and Candi Aversenti were the Reserve World’s Champions in this for the second year in a row. This marks the third time in Blue Mac’s career to take this prize. By Blue O’ Shea, he is out of Callaway’s Lady Mac (BHF). The bright-eyed chestnut is trained by Frickey Farms. Sir Surreal and Patrice Watson O’Brien were up next in third for Ashlyn Farms. Battlefield and Cindy Siders had another good go for Carl T. Fischer Jr., finishing fourth.  

The Amateur Ladies Harness Pony World’s Championship went back to Golden Creek Farms with Heartland Demonstrator and Mary Gaylord McClean. The team turned out en masse to head up the victory pass. Demonstrator is by Heartland Code Of Honor and out of Heartland Beauty. Beauty is also the dam of World’s Grand Champion Heartland Expectation. CH Crystal Creek’s Commander was the Reserve World’s Champion in this event for the second year in a row. He strutted to reserve honors with Linda Fischer at the lines for Sandra Surber. Majestic Oaks trains the son of Dun-Haven Center Attraction and HCH Commander’s Supreme. Backstage Pass and Elizabeth James Lipscomb delighted the Hollow Haven faithful in third, while Heartland Queen Of The Road and Susan Olcott finished fourth.

Scatman Du generally hangs out at home until Louisville rolls around. He did just that this year, following up his last finish as the 2014 Roadster to Wagon World’s Champion of Champions with another World’s Championship victory pass. He took the Roadster to Wagon Open qualifier blue tonight with Steve Crabtree as the owner and driver. This was the fifth win on the green shavings for this team. Winner of this class a year ago, More To Come was the Reserve World’s Champion with Raymond Shively. These two made the trip up to Toronto to take the Royal and Canadian Roadster to Wagon Championship last year.

Bred and shown by Prospect Lane and owned by Golden Creek Farms, Vegas Moon was the unanimous winner of the ASR Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited National Futurity. Tre Lee has brought this bay daughter of Northern Vegas along all the way, winning the Two-Year-Old Five-Gaited World’s Championship a year ago. Vegas Moon was simply exquisite tonight. She is out of Winsdown It’s About Time, by CH The Talk Of The Town. Another lovely filly, Katniss was the reserve winner with Mike Tunstall. An entry owned and bred by Shadow Run LLC, Katniss is by Catalyst and out of She’s In Style. This makes her a full sister to World’s Champion The Cat Walk and a half sister to World’s Champion He’s In Style. Her second dam is a good one, Broodmare Hall of Famer Mountain Maria, dam of World’s Champions Bono and Take Me Away. Peter Cowart was third here with By Some Miracle for Chris and K-Dee Leith. This was another one sired by the young stud Northern Vegas, who just keeps coming up as you read the pedigrees of young Louisville winners.

The Amateur Five-Gaited Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship was a bigtime tilt, featuring 18 strong contenders. Ali DeGray has too many back numbers to remember this week, or so it seemed. She wasn’t sure who had won the class until Peter Fenton got all the way through the name Memories Of Cabo. Then she sat for a moment, stunned. After that, she did the patented “Ali Happy Dance” that she does whenever she gets any prize anywhere, though this one had a touch more animation and verve than usual. It deserved a little more spice, as it was a huge win for owner Helen Rich and the delighted training team at Devore Stables. Amateur champions at Lexington, Finest Hour Spent and Susan Orton were the Reserve World’s Champions in this rockin’ group. Sired by I’m A New Yorker and out of a Star Material mare, Finest Hour Spent is about as fine and pretty of a horse as you could find. He works way up high and tight in the bridle, keeping all that forward momentum going at the same time. Out With The Ladies and Maya Manilow made their usual hard-charging show to pick up third for Barbara Goodman Manilow and Skyline Stables. I’m Royalty Too and Allison Schuh had their best moves tonight, taking fourth back to Knollwood for Kimberly Schuh.

It was a Two for Tuesday for Ali DeGray, as she went back to back here. She drove Heartland High Tech to the win in the Amateur Ladies Hackney Pony class. An entry of Helen Rich, High Tech is trained by Majestic Oaks. The Open Hackney Pony World’s Champion and Amateur Hackney Pony National Champion a year ago, High Tech is by Dun-Haven Bandolier and out of Heartland Sweetheart. Ali always seems shocked and delighted at her good fortune in the show ring. If you watched the overhead screen tonight, you would have seen her yell, “What?!” when her number was called. She drove by her mom in the stands, and both were quoted directly as saying, “Ahhhhhhh!!!!!” What Helen would note later was that this was a milestone win for Ali. It marked her 50th world title, with 29 World’s Championships and 21 Reserve World’s Championships. Also representing Majestic Oaks, Heartland Rough And Ready was the Reserve World’s Champion with Kathleen Ververeli. Kathleen made her Louisville driving debut tonight for owner Toni Nastali. Kathleen was thrilled with a good night for her family, and her family was thrilled for her great drive. Rough And Ready is by Heartland Victory and out of Heartland Ruby Red. The Heartland parade continued with Heartland Dressed To Impress third for Mary Gaylord McClean. On The Mark and Karen Waldron came fourth for Bent Tree Farm.

Peter Fenton regaled the crowd with tale of Debbie Foley and My-My again tonight, and with good reason. Tonight, Debbie did the incredible, tie

ing the record of the greatest of the great mares by winning her sixth Five-Gaited Mare World’s Championship with CH Callaway’s Annabel Allison. And in reality, they might have won seven in a row if they hadn’t shown in the ladies division the first year here. They won twice that year as well, taking the 2009 Ladies Five-Gaited Mare World’s Championship and Ladies World’s Champion of Champions title. Since then, it has been six in a row in this class and that one standout Saturday night as the World’s Grand Champion. Debbie was in tears as she made her victory pass, giving a fist pump to the sky as she exited the ring with the daughter of CH Caramac and Callaway’s Love Lucy that might as well be a member of her family. That’s the way she loves this horse. Larry Hodge made a scintillating ride from the ring as the Reserve World’s Champion with Two Sweet To Kiss. The entry of Hillcroft Farm is by Callaway’s Northern Kiss and out of a Buck Rogers mare. She has all sorts of athleticism, pairing that with the ability to put her chin on her chest. Cary On Broadway MBA is a beautiful golden chestnut mare. She and Todd Graham were up for third for Emma Nichols. Melinda Moore and Voulez Vous romped to fourth for Nalley Champions LLC. 

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