The main event Friday afternoon at Del Mar International was the $36,500 Hermès Sellier Sunshine 1.45m speed class. Thirty-four combinations tackled the Alan Wade (IRE) designed course that saw faults spread across the field as riders put the pedal to the floor. Only 9th to go in the order was Andrew Ramsay (USA), and he put in a round that no one could catch aboard California, a 15-year-old grey Holsteiner mare. 

“She’s naturally very quick and the course just played into our hands,” said Ramsay, who has had the ride on California for four years. “We have a pretty good partnership and I know her well. This was the class we were aiming for this week and she pulled through for me.”

Results of $36,500 Hermes Sellier Sunshine 1.45m

$36,500 CaptiveOne Grand Prix Qualifier 1.50m

Thursday evening was a fantastic one at Del Mar International with the $36,500 CaptiveOne Grand Prix Qualifier 1.50m. The Alan Wade designed course was tackled by 63 horse and rider combinations and consisted of 16 efforts including one double and one triple. From that large field, 14 advanced to the jump off, and it was Mariano Maggi (SWE) and Sanvano who set a pace no one could catch. 

“I was very, very happy with him,” said Maggi of the 10-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding owned by Uma O’Neill. “He has a lot of scope and a lot of potential. He’s a little bit green but I am very happy with him.”

Results of $36,500 CaptiveOne Grand Prix Qualifier 1.50m

$10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby the Legacy MARKEL Tour Hunter Championship

Hugh “Bert” Mutch was crowned champion for the second week in a row in the$10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby the Legacy MARKEL Tour Hunter Championship. He rode Edgewood’s Wonder owned by Edgewood Equestrian Enterprises to the win both weeks.

“He’s a dream to ride,” said Mutch of the 9-year-old bay warmblood gelding. “He trots great, he jumps great, he’s got step, he’s got technique. He’s just a blast. You know every time you go in the ring you have a shot.”

Mutch has been riding Edgewood’s Wonder for the past three years, and he started in the jumper ring. “I rode him in one class as a jumper,” said Mutch. “And I said ‘guys, I’m going to the other ring.’ He just had a natural hunter way of going.” 

The pair certainly proved they were meant for the hunter ring at Del Mar International with wins in no less than ten over fences classes, the last of which was the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby with a combined score of 187 in two rounds on Friday morning. 

Jenny Karazizzis took both reserve champion and third place honors. She rode Pamela Aizad’s Bellamy to second place with a score of 178, and Dulcie Lou Morris’s Big Shot to third place with a score of 176.