Musa has had the ride on Sharapova Imperio Egipicio for a year and always points the mare toward speed classes, saying, “She is very experienced and you never have to touch the reins. The horses and riders in today’s class were very, very fast and you had to take a risk and run the whole time.
“This is a special victory,” continued Musa, who spent the season at WEF with a string of four horses. “I have been coming to WEF for four seasons and I am happy to be here and win here. It’s like the Formula 1 of equestrian sport.”
Later in the day, Coyle ended his circuit in just the same way it began after a win in the $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 during the first week of the season. Both top placings came aboard Eristov, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Cicero Z Van Paemel x Concorde) owned by Elan Farm.
Returning third in Friday’s 1.45m, Coyle was one of 11 riders to advance to Jorge’s jump-off track from an original field of 63. His time of 33.06 seconds held on for the win, dropping Matthew Metell (USA) to second in 33.46 seconds riding Donchalant for owner Wolver Hollow. Javier Fernandez (MEX) rounded out the top three in 34.06 seconds aboard End Good All Good, owned by Miguel Madero.
“This is a spectacular horse,” said Coyle, who rides for Old Salem Farm based in North Salem, NY, and got the ride on Eristov at the end of 2017. “I knew he was going to be great the first time I sat on him and I think he proved that this winter. I have to thank my team at Old Salem Farm and my owner, Elan Farm, for their support in helping me and the horse find success.”