Mclain Ward won the $38,700 Devon Speed Derby

Details: June 3, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

DEVON, Pa.--McLain Ward on Catoki won the $38,700 Speed Derby over Cathleen Driscoll and Laura Chapot on Friday evening at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

McLain Wardon Catoki Devon Speed McLain Ward on Catoki Riding his speed specialist Catoki, Ward was clean in 76.19, a time that looked virtually uncatchable when he went, but Driscoll, who trains with Henri and Katie Prudent in Middleburg, Va., going second to last on Flotylla, almost caught him, finishing clean in 76.65.

The Speed Derby course of fences set at 1.45m was set in both the Dixon Oval and the Wheeler Ring, starting in the Dixon Oval, going into the Wheeler Ring and then finishing over two fences back in the Dixon Oval.

Four seconds were added to the finishing time for each rail down, so it was possible to get a good ribbon even with a rail down.

CHAPOT on Diarado's Flying Dutchman went 11th and, with a clean time of 79.22, held the lead until Ward went in the 22nd position,

Cathleen Driscoll on FlotyllaAmanda Derbyshire of Great Britain on Wonder If was fourth in 79.26, Jimmy Torano of Moorsville, Pa.,, on Kochio Z was fifth in 80.87, and Alex Matz of Cochranville, Pa., on Davidson was sixth with a rail down that gave him a finishing time of 80.89.

"It was a very different type of competition," said Ward. "It's anew class here at Devon that I've actually bee proposing to them fo a couple of years. There's a similar type of class run in Holland that's a crowd favorite, so no better place than Devon to have an even like this. It's challenging, exciting and something different."

"It was a great class," said Ward. "There were 15 jumps, so it was a long course. As it develops, the spectators will get to know it it. There are great crowds at Devon."

Laura Chapot of Dirados Flying Dutchman Devon Laura Chapot of Diarado's Flying Dutchman "Catoki is very hot and very aggressive," said Ward. "He's very game. I've had him about three years."

Misdee Wrigley Miller won the Coaching Championship driving a Holland and Holland Park Drag, and Harvey Waller and his Road Coach Old Times was Reserve.

"It's the best feeling in the world when you have that team working as a complete unit," said Miller. You can hear it when they're in step, rhythmic and in time, nice in your hands. That's the absolute ultimate feeling. I like to say I feel the lines singing in my hands."