LEXINGTON, Ky.--Will Coleman on Diabolo leads the Kentucky CCi5*-L after the first day of dressage on April 23, but the top six riders are less than three points apart.
Will Coleman on Diabolo (Photo by Allen MacMillan)Riders from the U.S. have started in a better position than in past years, with Phillip Dutton on Possante second and Boyd Martin on Cooley Nutcracker fifth.
Despite an error that cost him a two point penalty, Coleman still leads on 27.3 with Dutton second on 28.1.
Tim Price of New Zealand on Global Quest is third on 29.8, world number one Harry Meade of Great Britain on Superstition is fourth on 30.2, and Martin is fifth on 30.7.
Coleman on Diabolo previously won the CCI4*-S in Kentucky.
“The first time you do a five-star in this kind of atmosphere, you can never sure be sure how the horse is going to cope,” Coleman said. “Diabolo got a little excited when we got up here but to his credit he went in there and stayed with me and did his job. There are little things I would clean up, but I really, really adore this horse."
“I’m happy with today and happy with this horse," said Coleman. "He’s trying for me and that’s all I can ask for.
Phillip Dutton on Possante (Photo by Allen MacMillan)“He likes to be taught things. He really wants to be a good boy but has a lot of anxiety because of that, so we’ve had to teach him to have confidence, and I think he’s starting to get that.
“He has a real presence about him and an energy that I think is pretty cool,” Coleman said. “He’s a unique horse, and now I have to trust and hope that I’ve prepared him, and hope that my preparation makes it feel comfortable to him. We’ll find out.”
“I was very pleased,” Dutton said. “It’s pretty unique for horses who have not been here before to come into an arena like this. It didn’t start great, he spooked in a corner but from then on it was really good. Dressage sometimes is really easy for the horse, so it’s a case of keeping him calm and me riding him well.”
“I was thrilled with my horse today,” Meade said. “I was delighted with his test and felt like I didn’t leave anything out there. I was a little bit surprised in a way with the markings and hoped he would score better than that, but you have to get good marks to get good marks. Now, we need to make sure we get no more penalties for the rest of the weekend.”
Tamra Smith on Danito (Photo by Allen MacMillan)In the CCI4*-S, Olympic veteran Tami Smith, who has three horses in the division, leads on Danito, and is fourth on Kynan.
Her third horse, Molly Duda’s Lillet 3, goes tomorrow.
Smith leads on 27.0 with Tommy Greengard on That's Me Z second on 31.4 and Dan Krietl third with Carmango on 32.0.
“Danito was super today,” Smith said. “He just is a little showman. It’s fun to have him, he’s kind of my flashy little dressage horse who stepped in behind (retired Kentucky winner) Mai Baum. It’s fun to have that kind of fancy prancer.”
Smith has spent the spring on the east coast, bringing a number of horses from her normal home base in California.
“Danito actually had a hot nail and I haven’t ridden him in the last two days,” Smith said. “He’s trained and just knows. You hope you have that in horses you produce, that the work keeps going all the way to the ring, that the basics are really strong. He has a such a good mind and loves to show off and you want that in a horse that’s competing.”
