Lillie Keenan’s (USA) five-star grand prix tally rose to three on Saturday evening at MLSJ Toronto. Riding Kick On for Chansonette Farm, Keenan won the $200,000 Kubota 5* Grand Prix in front of an electric crowd at Angelstone Tournaments. The Trelawny Trailblazers rider has now won a hat trick of five-star grand prix after clinching the MLSJ Monterrey Grand Prix in 2022 with Queensland E and again last year in Ottawa aboard her FEI World Equestrian Games mount, Argan de Beliard.
“I knew that my horse could win this class if I was on the job” said Keenan of Kick On, known fondly as “Ken” around the barn. “I didn’t get in his way tonight.”
Kick On, a 10-year-old BE/SIES (Warrior x Cartino Glory), had never jumped a five-star grand prix before attacking Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) track under the lights on Saturday.
“Every time I walk any jump-off class, I make sure to walk the jump-off; I like to have a plan and a number of strides,” said Keenan of her approach to the grand prix course. “I knew with Kent behind me, I was going to have to go flat out if I wanted to beat him. There’s been quite a few times I’ve been a bridesmaid to him, so it was nice to get in front of him.”
The 2023 winner of the MLSJ Toronto Grand Prix, Kent Farrington gave his best effort on Toulayna, a 10-year-old Toulon daughter, but couldn’t catch Keenan. She stopped the clock more than a second faster in 39.17 seconds, while world no. 6 Farrington broke the beam in 40.57 seconds for owner Rabbit Root Stables.
“That’s a great thing about Major League; we have so many top riders, and we really push each other to keep improving,” continued Keenan. “I’d love to go two-for-two in Ottawa. I’m going to bring back Argan de Beliard and try to keep rolling on this high.”
Rounding out the top three, Ireland’s David O’Brien capped out a banner week in third aboard El Balou OLD. After helping team Helios to a win on Friday, he and the 12-year-old (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Balou du Rouet) owned by Leap Year Farm together with Chansonette Farm came in at 42.06 seconds.
Jacqueline Steffens Daly and Freaky. (Mackenzie Clark/MLSJ)
Jacqueline Steffens Daly: MLSJ Winner Once Again
Canada’s own Jacqueline Steffens Daly is no stranger to Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) victories with longtime mount Freaky. She returned to the spotlight on Thursday evening by taking top call in the 5* BFL Qualifier on opening day of MLSJ Toronto during leg two of season four.
With Freaky, Steffens Daly has collected eight MLSJ team podiums during her time as a member of Team Eye Candy. Now she’s chasing individual glory with the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Darco x Litho X) she owns with Team Eye Candy.
“The focus this week is the grand prix; I tried to prioritize tidy turns and going forward where I could but balancing for the fences themselves,” she said.
Steffens Daly stopped the clock at 41.46 seconds in a fiercely quick 8-horse jump-off over Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) course. “Freaky feels in amazing form, so I think we are going in strong for the grand prix and excited about it.”
The 5* Kubota Grand Prix takes center stage on Saturday evening and has Steffens Daly chasing superstitions. During the three MLSJ seasons, it has become customary for the qualifier winner at MLSJ Toronto to also win the grand prix. Daniel Bluman (ISR) stole the honor in both 2021 and 2022 before Kent Farrington (USA) did it in 2023.
“No pressure,” joked Steffens Daly.
A bright star on the horizon of U.S. show jumping, Alessandra Volpi left it all on the line but finished five tenths of a second off the pace to take second riding Candy Luck Z, an impressive nine-year-old Zangersheide mare by Comme Il Faut 5.
Thursday was a good day at the office for the entire Daly family as Jacqueline’s husband, Dylan (IRL), jumped onto the podium in third aboard Cinderella Z, a 14-year-old Chacco-Blue mare owned by Double C Stables.
Helios Lights a Fire in Toronto
There’s a new team in town and they were on fire at MLSJ Toronto. With fresh names joining their 2024 lineup, Helios topped the 5* Team Competition at Angelstone Tournaments on Friday night to take over the top spot in the season standings from reigning champions, Trelawny Trailblazers.
Under the bright lights of Anglestone—the second of three Canadian stops on the MLSJ tour—Helios brought Ireland’s David O’Brien to the gold-medal round against the Desert International Horse Park’s Roadrunners.
O’Brien jumped off against former Helios rider, Ashlee Bond, who now riders under the Roadrunners banner.
“My horse was ready to jump tonight,” said O’Brien, who piloted El Balou OLD to only two time faults in the opening round.
After Bond and Elka de la Pomme pulled two rails in the faults-converted face-off for gold, O’Brien had a ten-second cushion in his pocket. “We wanted to get points on the board early here then towards the end of the season, hopefully we can be ahead,” said O’Brien. “That’s exactly what we did tonight.”
Helios brings a completely fresh roster to the 2024 season with all three of Friday night’s athletes being newcomers to The League.
“It was great experience for me in my first time with Major League, and it’s nice to start with a bang,” said Abdel Saïd, who’s leads his team into MLSJ Ottawa with guarded confidence. “I think in this sport, ego brings you down. We start on zero again next week. But it’s, for sure, very motivating, and it gives a lot of confidence, especially that we’re all new [to The League].”
Saïd put up a clear second round after a time fault in the first aboard Figueras de Laume.
The only rider to execute a double-clear performance for her team was California’s Skylar Wireman riding Tornado.
“My goal [in the second round] was to put another clear round in and be fast enough so that if there was a bunch of clears, we didn’t miss out,” said Wireman, who mastered both Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) tracks. “I did just what I wanted to do. I walked in for the jump up, and it was real enough; the turn back to the Kubota vertical was tall, and it was enough track that you had to be a real contender.”
The Roadrunners took silver with Bond (ISR) teaming up with Jessica Mendoza (GBR) on In The Air and Samuel Hutton (GBR) aboard Melusina BVL Z. The bronze went to 2023 season champions, the Trailblazers, who now sit second in the season standings. Their squad included Philip McGuane (IRL) on Ophea HQ, Lillie Keenan (USA) riding Kick On and Daniel Bluman (ISR) aboard Gemma W.
As MLSJ Toronto comes to a close, The League heads to the Canadian capital of Ottawa for leg three of the 2024 season at Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments’ Wesley Clover Parks. Re-watch all MLSJ Toronto action on MLSJ TV.
Full results here.
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