LEXINGTON, Ky.--Aaron Vale on Gray's Inn won the 75,000 CSI5* 1.50m Welcome Grand Prix Qualifier at the Kentucky International CSI5* on Thursday evening, April 24.

Aaron Vale on Gray's Inn (Photo by Winslow Photography)Vale was clean in 35.09 seconds to win in an 11 horse jump-off from a starting field of 54.

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny on Eddy Blue was second, clean in 36.71, and Alex Matz on Ikigai was third in 36.83.

“I got from fence one to two in nine strides, which most of the fast ones did," said Vale. "Then I made a real effort to stay extra wide in the six from fences two to three, and I put a big curve in it. I could see I was inside everybody else’s tracks; I was in fresh dirt there,” said Vale. “Not only was I tighter around, but then I found a forward distance to the oxer, so I knew if stayed on the strides coming home, he’d be quick enough.”

Gray's Inn is owned and trained by his wife, Mallory.

“We’ve had him since he was a 4-year-old, and my wife’s done 90% of the work on him,” he said of the 11-year-old gray Warmblood. “So to have one like him since he shipped in from Slovakia, it’s just fun.”

Fourteen horses qualified for the jump-off, but three, Laura Kraut on Bisquetta, Kent Farringtono on Greya, and Charlotte Jacobs on Playboy JT Z, elected not to return, preferring to save themselves for Saturday’s $400,000 Kentucky International CSI5* Grand Prix.

Thursday’s $75,000 1.50m Welcome was the qualifier for Saturday’s $400,000 1.60m Grand Prix, with the top 40 in this class moving on.

Additionally, three riders, Olympic champion Christian Kukuk of Germany, McLain Ward and Alessandra Volpi, are prequalified for Saturday’s Grand Prix based on their FEI rankings.

The $35,000 1.45m Speed Cup takes place Friday evening following the conclusion of the Three-Day dressage.