HITS Thermal: "Out of Control" Will Simpson Wins Again

Source: News Release

"Out of Control" Will Simpson Wins Again

Claims Record 9th HITS Thermal Grand Prix Victory

Thermal, California – As equestrians prepare for Sunday's AIG $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS Thermal, Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson claimed his ninth Grand Prix victory at HITS Desert Horse Park this season. His latest win came on Katie Riddle, owned by Monarch International, in the $25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix on Friday afternoon.

"It's out of control," said Simpson, after trumping a field of 38 riders. Simpson will ride S.F. Ariantha, owned by Olivia Cox-Fill, in Sunday's match.

No rider made it double-clear in Friday's class. Simpson and Katie Riddle were first to go and were very fast, in a time of 32.641, but had the “A” element of the combination down. The combination proved to be almost every riders’ nemesis in the jump-off, and it became the focus of the remaining riders’ warm-up preparation.

"I used a little too much extra leg there," Simpson said of the tricky combination. But his aggressive ride, even with the rail, was worth it. "It was a very quick jump-off," he continued, but his fast time held up through the rest of the round.

Simpson’s son, 13-year-old Ty, came out and joined him at HITS Thermal Friday and will be there for the Million. “He brought me really good luck on Friday the 13th,” he said. S.F. Ariantha also qualified for Friday's jump-off, but Simpson decided to give her a rest so she would be fresh for Sunday's Million and so did not return for the speed round. The pair, nonetheless, placed seventh in the class.

Five other riders made it to the jump-off, with the second through fourth place spots going to other four-faulters. Richard Spooner placed second on Chivas Z, owned by SN Stables LLC in 32.758 — just a tenth of a second behind Simpson; Kilian McGrath took third on BB Casablanca, owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman in 36.930; and Chris Pratt rounded out fourth on Zetro Sent, owned by the Epic Group LLC in 40.105.

Marina Azevedo, of Brazil, designed the course.

General admission tickets are on sale now for the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by MortgageCall, Sunday, March 15! General Admission tickets are $10 per person. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are available at the Main Gate on the day of the show. For more spectator information, clickhere.

(c) ESI Photography
Will Simpson and Katie Riddle, owned by Monarch International, won Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix at HITS Thermal.

(c) ESI Photography
Will Simpson and Katie Riddle, owned by Monarch International, take home the blue ribbon in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix at HITS Thermal.

$25,000 SmartPak Wild Card Grand Prix - HITS Thermal - Week VIII

Place	Horse	Owner	Rider	Prize	Rd. 1 Faults	JO Faults	JO Time
1	Katie Riddle	Monarch International	William Simpson	$7,500	0	4	32.641
2	Chivas Z	SN Stables LLC	Richard Spooner	$5,500	0	4	32.758
3	BB Casablanca	Gregory Maskrey-Segesman	Kilian McGrath	$3,250	0	4	36.930
4	Zetro Sent	The Epic Group LLC	Chris Pratt	$2,000	0	4	40.105
5	Goodwill VB	Caledonia Stables	Greg Broderick	$1,500	0	8	39.451
6	Paloma	Melanie Brooks	Keri Potter	$1,250	0	8	44.974
7	S.F. Ariantha	Olivia Cox-Fill	William Simpson	$1,000	4	*	*
8	Atlantis T	Grafton Farm	Brian Morton	$1,000	4	*	*
9	Ace of Hearts	Little Valley Farms	Ashlee Bond	$750	4	*	*
10	Utopia	John Perez Bohm	John Perez Bohm	$500	4	*	*
11	Baldira	Mirador and Paul Schockemoh	Ray Texel	$500	4	*	*
12	Gitano	Federico Fernandez Sender	Federico Fernandez Sender	$500	4	*	*