North Salem, NY – May 12, 2013 – Todd Minikus and Legacy Stables’ Uraguay won the highlight event of the first week of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, the $50,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix presented by Suncast. They were fastest in the jump-off to beat Darragh Kerins (IRL) on E-Muze Yek and Christine McCrea (USA) with Romantovich Take One.

There were 47 entries in today’s grand prix and nine pairs found their way to a clear round to advance to the jump-off. The early pacesetter in the jump-off was Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT, on Romantovich Take One (Numero Uno x Oniel by Karandasj, breeder J.W. de Waal) owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables. They won Friday’s Welcome Stake and set a very fast pace of 39.06 seconds that would hold up for third place in today’s class.

Three horses later it was Minikus and Uraguay, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding, (Nairobi x O’Kristy ster by Colino, breeder H. Heres) who were speedy through the first part of the jump-off, but it was a long run across the field to the Suncast oxer that had the crowd holding their breath. Uraguay gave a great effort, made two more rollbacks, and galloped to the final oxer to stop the timers in 37.36 seconds for the win.

Following Minikus, Leslie Howard and Tic Tac, owned by Jane Clark, were clear in 40.33 seconds for fourth place. Darragh Kerins and E-Muze Yek, owned by Kerins and Maarten Huygens, finished with a time of 38.87 seconds, fast enough for second place.

Minikus started riding Uraguay toward the end of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival after the horse showed successfully in Europe with Dutch rider Albert Zoer and in the United States with Mario Deslauriers.

(Source Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.)