MYAKKA CITY, Fla.--Marylisa Leffler of Brookeville, Md., on Zaza Z won the Sarasota Winter Classic $10,000 Welcome Stake on Thursday, Jan. 5.
Marylisa Leffler on Zaza Z (Photo by Eye Was Here Photography)In its first year of operations at the world-class TerraNova Equestrian Center, the newly-renamed Sarasota Winter Classic kicked off competition on Jan. 10.
The Welcome Stake was followed by an elegant reception party in the beautiful VIP pavilion, complete with live music.
The 11 entries contested the first-round track, set by designer Bill Worthington, seven of which moved on to the jump-off course.
Stephanie Gallucci produced the first double-clear ride of the competition, but it was top young competitor Hailey Royce who set the early lead on Sonic Boom, clocking in a little over a second faster than Gallucci 34.388 seconds.
Later in the order, 15-year-old Brooks Hull on Zechariah 3:9 finished in a jump-off time of 33.897 seconds, but Leffler, having won both Welcome Stakes during last year’s event, finished less than one-one hundredths of a second faster than Hull’s time.
“I came here in March for the two Spring grand prixs, and I have begged everyone in our barn to come since,” Leffler said. “This is her first class back after six weeks off, but she only has one speed which is forward.”
“I tried to be as fast as I could from fences one to two, knowing I would do the eight strides instead of the seven to make a better turn," she said. "Then I just went direct on the way home hoping I could beat the gray horse.”
