Jimmy Torano Tops $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m

Jimmy Torano Tops $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m
USA’s Jimmy Torano aboard Missy Clark and North Run’s Betagravin won Saturday’s $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic during week eight at WEF. Forty entries showed, and nine jumped clear over the Ken Krome (USA) designed speed course. Torano and the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Quasimodo Z x Grandeville) clocked the winning time of 64.53 seconds.

Markus Beerbaum (GER) set an early pace aboard Michaels and Beerbaum’s Charmed 2 in 67.15 seconds to eventually finish fourth. Margie Engle (USA) and Elm Rock LLC’s Böckmanns Lazio placed second in 66.61 seconds, and Richie Moloney jumped into third at the end with a time of 66.77 seconds aboard Equinimity LLC’s Ypaja Yando.

Torano began riding Betagravin at the start of the winter and has had numerous wins with the speedy mare, including Friday’s $10,000 Griffis Residential CSIO Speed Stake.

“She really started out great,” the rider noted. “The first class I rode her in, she won. That was just a 1.30m class. Then she won a 1.40m. She won yesterday, now again today. She is just a real winner. She is very fast, she has a very big stride, and to win two days in a row is always nice.

“One of the good things about her is that you can go fast with her in every class, and she does not seem to get flat, and she does not seem to care,” Torano continued. “I went pretty much full tilt yesterday, and she came back today and she was still sharp, and she was still trying. She was just as good today, if not better, than she was yesterday.”

Remarking on his winning track, Torano added, “The lines were kind of long and leaving out strides, but her stride is just so big, they actually got a little bit short. I think that is where she is so fast. I cut back right on the double by the in-gate within one stride, and going into the last line, I turned right back on it. I don’t really know her that well; I have not been riding her that long, but I can trust her 100%. So far there is not anything I have asked of her that I feel like she has not done.”

Also competing in the International Arena on Saturday, Eve Jobs and Charleville were victorious in the $15,000 SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, presented by Engel & Völkers. The Kate Nash Boone Style Award was also presented to Canada’s Ian Millar.