Course designer Alan Wade set a 14-effort track at 1.45m for the 15 entries representing six countries in Friday’s $37,000 4* Speed Stake, where Bagnato and her 12-year-old Holsteiner mare were nearly four seconds faster than their fellow competitors, stopping the clock in 57.99 seconds.

“She’s very naturally quick, and she always wants to be competitive and win,” Bagnato said. “She was on her A-game today, and so was I. Sometimes if we go around and catch a rail, it’s because I mess up, but I was really proud of both of us today. Going into some of those rollbacks, I thought she was being kind to me to even leave the ground. It probably would’ve been easier for her to just keep cantering past those fences, but she was in it to win it. I couldn’t be happier.” 

Joining Bagnato on the all-American podium were Chloe Reid and Jonathan McCrea in second and third, respectively. Reid posted a 61.78-second time aboard Chelsea 179 (Cador x Laudabilis), Live Oak Plantation’s 10-year-old Oldenburg mare. McCrea tripped the timers in 62.02 seconds with Jannan S (Kannan GFE x Numero Uno), Windsor Show Stables’ 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

Then Wade and his team built a 16-effort, 1.45m track for the $32,000 FEI 2* Welcome Stake, which saw 55 entries representing 11 nations vying for top honors. Of the 10 horse-and-rider combinations who made it to the jump-off, five went double-clear, including Ireland’s Philip McGuane. He and Evergate Stables LLC’s 8-year-old Zangersheide mare Crislin Van Den Bosrand Z (Carambole x Nabab de Rêve) clinched the win in 34.04 seconds.