Source:  News Release

 

 

Hector Florentino captures first ever HITS-on-the-Hudson victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (June 13, 2011) — Hector Florentino debuted at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York this spring and left his mark as he won Sunday’s $100,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Stransky’s Mission Farms, Inc.’s Ultimo. Florentino was the last rider in the class and topped four challengers in the jump-off to go double clear and win a pivotal qualifier for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix in September.

© ESI Photography. Hector Florentino rides to victory on Stransky's Mission Farms, Inc.'s Ultimo in Sunday's $100,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York

After a day of rain, the footing in the Strongid® C 2X Stadium held up well under the conditions. Olaf Peterson, Jr.’s course featured 16 jumping efforts and included a double combination at fence number four and a triple at fence eight. The triple yielded 20 faults as four riders had rails down, keeping them from the second round. The riders who joined Florentino in the jump-off included a talented line-up of Margie Engle on Ashland Farms’ Lord Spezi, Ali Wolff on John Wolff & Blacklick Bend’s Lanoo, Darragh Kenny aboard North Run & Missy Clark’s Gael Force, and Todd Minikus aboard his own Pavarotti.

All riders in the second round finished within the 52 seconds allowed, but some encountered trouble in the repeat double at fence four. Engle had a rail down at the combination in the first go position of the jump-off and Wolff also picked up four jumping faults at the same fence. Wolff, however, posted a faster time than Engle in the jump-off at 44.097 seconds. In the third go spot, Kenny picked up four jumping faults at the sixth effort in 45.791 seconds, which pushed Engle to third.

Minikus got the first clear go to keep Kenny from the top two, but dropped to second after Florentino’s faster trip. Engle ultimately finished in fifth, Kenny in fourth, Wolff in third and Minikus in second, just .745 seconds shy of Florentino.

Engle’s fifth-place finish was the capstone to a successful week at HITS-on-the-Hudson. She brought home the blue in both the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome on Wednesday and the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, with Lord Spezi on Friday.

“I really wanted to beat Margie,” said Florentino. “She’s one of the best and it’s not the same to just beat anyone.”

Coming off a successful show in Kentucky, Florentino was pleased with his first-ever performance at the HITS Saugerties show grounds.

“I really liked the courses this week,” he said. “They rode really nice with smooth turns and a lot of bending lines. I was worried about the 4a/b combination, but we came in good and we rode out good. Now we hope to be back in July and qualify [for the Pfizer Million].”

Minikus, a Purina Mills sponsored rider, was the fourth rider to go in the jump-off and posted a time that Florentino could beat, giving him the red.

“The rain was a factor, but the footing held and the horses were jumping well,” said Minikus. “Going into the jump-off, I was in the predicament of, ‘do I go clean or turn on the jet burners?’ I opted to do a nice ‘quick-enough’ clean. It was important to me to do well in this class – I’ve been a Purina-sponsored rider since 2000 and we are very proud to be part of the Purina Team.”

Aside from the $100,000 Grand Prix, Purina Mills also welcomed local families to the Saugerties, New York show grounds for their annual Kids Day on Sunday. Crowds of visitors were entertained with a horseless horseshow, face painting, arts and crafts, pony rides and an appearance by Whoopsy Daisy the Clown.

As if $30,000 in prize money wasn't enough, Florentino won big twice on Sunday. Because he and the team at Stransky's Mission Farms, Inc. feed their horses Purina Mills feed, they won 2,000 lbs. of feed, as part of a "win a ton" rider incentive program sponsored by Purina Mills, the official feed of HITS Horse Shows.

 

$100,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health