Sanmar Farm’s Keina, ridden by Addison Reed, won last night's $25,000 Rockbridge Grand Prix in an exciting jump off to the delight of the crowd and Keina’s owner, Sandra Ruiz. Ruiz said, “I am so excited! I’m excited to have such a nice horse, it’s amazing!”

With a first-round time allowed set at 79 seconds, four would advance to the jump off. Reed had three of the four rides and her rival Marylisa Leffler and Rolling Acres’ ZaZa Z rounded out the four finalists.

Reed and Reed Training & Sales’ Doc Di Villigana were the first to go in the jump off with a time allowed set at 45 seconds. The pair earned eight jump faults and posted a time of 37.596 seconds.

Leffler and ZaZa Z were up next, turning in a fault free round in 35.780 seconds, taking the lead.

Reed returned to the Dee Dee Arena, this time in the irons of Reed Training & Sales’ Kletcher, posting a clear jump off round in 35.781 seconds, just missing the lead.

Reed sat in the last to go position with Keina. “Trust me, Kletcher is a younger horse, and he has never done a class like this before. We went the fastest we could go, and Marylisa still got me by hundredths of a second. So, I was a little nervous going into the ring with Keina because I thought there was no way I could go faster than I just did,” commented Reed.

“I had to slow down a little to jump the oxer and when I did, I was in the air thinking that Marylisa just beat me. But I couldn’t see the clock, so I decided I’m just going to land and keep moving forward, because well, you never know!”

The pair turned in a clear jump off round in 34.361 seconds and secured the win, moving Leffler and ZaZa Z into second place.

According to Reed, “This is my first real grand prix I did with her since we got her. We jumped last week in Culpeper, but she was really good today. You know, I haven’t even thought once about going that fast on that horse, because I’ve just been trying to get to know her. And I mean it’s hard to not really put the pedal to the floor when you’re chasing Marylisa because she is like lightning out there. I never thought I’d be able to catch her, but I was just giving it my best shot and it really worked out in my favor. Keina answered all of the questions and she was just amazing. I am so proud of her. That’s what we’ve been practicing for. We just went out there and had some fun.” 

“When I was riding Keina, it actually felt like I was going slower with her than I did with my other two. She covers the ground with such a big, easy step and she was just amazing. "

Ruiz added, “I got Keina back in March when we were in Ocala, and she just keeps telling me how good she is. She is an amazing horse, has the best personality, she’s quiet and relaxed, always happy and just a loving horse. Addison has been riding her since Keina got here and rides her great. Even when Keina was in quarantine, she would come and visit her, and ride her every day, and little by little they are developing such a great relationship. That’s what it’s going to take, and it really showed today.”

She continued, “I love that horse. She’s brand new and this is her first time showing here. But Addison is a smart rider, really sympathetic to Keina and has a good rapport with her, especially with a chestnut mare! But she is a liver chestnut,” Ruiz laughed. 

Reed finished in third with Fletcher and fourth with Doc Di Villigana.

Kacy Smith and Z41 LLC’s D’Angelo 6 placed fifth overall for their four fault first round in a time of 68.634 seconds.

Reed and Reed Training & Sales’ Goliath placed sixth placing after earning four jump faults in their first round with a time of 70.629 seconds.

Cullen Drescher Speckhart and Speckhart Sporthorses LLC’s Oscars Afterparty and Gerry Butler, finished in seventh and tenth, respectively, and Gene Frank and his own Isaak VDL finished in eighth place. Kama Godek and her own Lady Stakkata earned ninth place.



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