SAUGERTIES, NY (June 14, 2010) -- Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward and Goldika 559 proved once again that they are a golden combination as the duo captured the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Friday and the $125,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Sunday, to close out the three-week HITS-on-the-Hudson spring series in Saugerties, NY.

"I thought the course was tough...it should be difficult," said Ward of the $125,000 class. "The footing held up well despite all the rain we had this morning. I thought six was just the right number to advance and there were some very good horses in the jump-off."

Ward, of Brewster, NY and 18 year-old mare Goldika 559, owned by McLain Ward & Blue Chip Bloodstock, were one of 25 horse-and-rider combinations to take the field designed by International Course Designer Marina Azevedo of Campinas, Brazil, which saw a worthy six pairs advance to the jump-off, with a first place purse of $37,500 at stake.

"She's [Goldika 559] been an incredible horse her entire life," said Ward. "She never ceases to amaze us."

Azevedo's first round course proved challenging, as five pairs failed to overcome the in-and-out at fence four and eight pairs had trouble at the triple combination at fence 12. The first clear effort came in the reins of Ward and his own Oh' D Eole, who ultimately placed sixth. Two trips later, Friday's third place winners Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT and Baloubet Junior Z, owned by Candy Tribble & Windsor Show Stables, went clean to force the jump-off.

"I'm very happy to have had a chance to build for so many riders and so many quality horses," said Azevedo, who is enjoying her second year of designing in the US and first time on the East coast. 

At the end of the first round, Darragh Kenny of Wellington, FL and Gael Force, owned by Missy Clark & North Run; Ward and Goldika 559; HITS-on-the-Hudson II winners Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL and Pavarotti, owned by Todd Minikus Ltd.; and Christine McCrea once again aboardRomantovich Take One, owned by Candy Tribble & Windsor Show Stables, would decide the outcome of the $125,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

With Ward and McCrea each having two horses in the Strongid? C 2X Stadium in the jump-off, the odds were heavily in their favor to seal a victory. Ward and Oh' D Eole would start things off as the pair set the pace with four faults at 40.600 seconds. As only five riders remained, each knew that every round could be the win.

Second to show was McCrea and Baloubet Junior Z, who easily took over the lead by setting the Great American Time To Beat at 40.249 seconds in the first double-clear effort.

Darragh Kenny and Gael Force were able to narrowly catch the time in 40.115 seconds; however, four faults on the field would ultimately place the pair at fifth.

As three trips remained, Ward took the irons once again on Goldika 559, this time shaving seconds off the Great American Time to Beat with a clear ride in a fast 38.372 seconds which would go untouched.

Minikus and McCrea would be all that stood between Ward and Goldika 559's second Grand Prix victory of the week. Minikus and Pavarotti took the field looking to catch the time as the duo came within half a second of taking over the lead with a time of 38.863 in a fault-free ride. In the end, they finished third. McCrea returned once again for the last chance to get the upper hand in the see-saw battle of the jump-off, and nearly did so with a nail-biting ride as they came within a hair of the victory in a clear 38.450 seconds, just grazing the time of Ward and Goldika 559 for a respectable second-place pinning.

"I tried to catch him," said McCrea. "McLain's pretty fast!"

"I thought Christine had caught McLain there for a minute!" commented Azevedo.

Ward's win marked his sixth of eight Grand Prix qualifiers needed for the Pfizer Million. He now has $59,100 in prize money aboard Golidka 559, his leading horse, which is on the fast track to a spot in the Rider Rankings.

"It's raising the level of competition here in the U.S. in the summer," said Ward, who is aiming to show Sapphire in the historic event, of the Pfizer Million. 

Sunday's $125,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, marked the end of a successful three-week spring series at HITS Saugerties, as the road to the Pfizer Million now travels back to Culpeper, Virginia for two-weeks starting with the Showday National on Wednesday, July 7. HITS Culpeper will feature two $40,000 Pfizer Million Qualifying Grand Prix classes, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. 

HITS Saugerties returns once again for three consecutive weeks starting Wednesday, July 21. High-Performance riders still have 12 more opportunities to qualify for the Pfizer Million, plus a Wild Card, between the upcoming Culpeper and Saugerties series in July, August and September.