LEXINGTON, Ky.--Tamie Smith's Mai Baum, the favorite to win the Lexington CCI4*-S. has been withdrawn from the Kentucky Three-Day Event, Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, April 28.
Tamra Smith on Mai Baum in last year's Kentucky 5 star (Photo by Sarah Miller)
Both Kentucky 4 star and 5 star competitions serve as selection sites for this summer's Paris Olympics.
Tamie Smith on Mai Baum won the five star at Kentucky last year, which also served as a selection site, and, like many US Olympic hopefuls, was entered to compete in the CCI4*-S this time.
“Sadly, Mai Baum will be sitting out this Kentucky and resting up for an exciting summer,” Smith said in Horse and Hound, alluding to her hopes of taking the 18-year-old star to Paris 2024.
“They say timing is everything, and while I was away competing some of my other horses last weekend, Lexus (Mai Baum's barn name) was a bit wild and feeling exuberant and pulled away from his handler and tweaked himself. He wasn’t a 100 percent in time to make the trip across the country to Kentucky and we have elected to withdraw him.
“It can be difficult to withdraw your horse from a key competition, especially leading up to this summer, however, this decision is in his long-term best interest and the one thing we’ve never wavered from is our commitment not to compromise the well being of any horse,"said Smith.
If he is selected for the US team for the Olympics he will start as one of the favorites there and is likely to be up among the leaders from the first phase as he is particularly strong in the dressage.
SMITH still has Maryland 5 Star 2022 runner-up Danito and Kynan in the CCI4*-S.
Danito goes in the dressage phase at 8:28 Thursday and cross country Saturday at 9:12, while Kynan goes in dressage Friday at 12:11 and cross country at 12:09.
Others in the 4 star include Phillip Dutton on Jewelent, competing Thusday at 8:35 ad Saturday at 9:15 and Boyd Martin on Commando 3, Thursday at 12:18 and Saturday at 10:33, and on Fedarman B, Friday at 11:24 and Saturday at 11:54.
Will Coleman has Off the Record, Thursday at 8:21 and Saturday at 9:09, Diablo on Thursday at 12:11 and Saturday at 10:30, and Chin Tonic HS, Friday at 11:50 and Saturday at12:00.
Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp has Shanroe Cooley, Thursday at 8:14 and Saturday at 9:06,and Cooley Quickslver, Friday at 8:21 and Saturday at 10:48.
Buck Davidson has Cooley Candyman at 9:41 Thursday and Saturday at 9:36, and Caroline Pamukcu has She's the One, Thursday at 8:42 and Saturday at 9:18, King'sEspeciale, Friday at 8:07 and Saturday at 10:42, and HSH Blake, Friday at 12:04 and Saturday at 12:06.
In the 5 star, Dutton has Quasi Cool at 3:50 on Thursday and 2:26 on Saturday, and Azure,Thursday at 3:55 and Saturday at 3:50, and Martin has On Cue, Thursday at 3:47 and Saturday at 3:46
Doug Payne has Quantum Leap at 2:48 Thursday and Saturday at 2:02and Camarillo on Thursday at 3:39 and Saturday at 3:42,and Will Faudree has Mama's Magic Way at 1:16 on Friday and 2:46 Saturday, and Buck Davidson has Sorocaima at 2:18 Friday and 3:10 Saturday.
International entries include three favorites from Great Britain, Tom McEwen on JL Dublin, Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir and Oliver Townend with Cooley Rosalent.
The 4 star stadium jumping is at 10:45 Sunday and the first group of 5 star competitors is at 2 p.m., with the second group at 3 p.m., and all go in reverse order of placing.
Remaining selection trials are Badminton 5 star, May 8-12,and Tryon Spring International 4 star, May 8-12, and the Olympic team will be selected by June 3.
