Revving Up for Rolex

Pancho Villa at Fair Hill 2014. Jenni Autry Photo

I’ve got three entries in for Rolex Kentucky this year: Master Frisky, Crackerjack and Pancho Villa. They all three first-timers at the four-star level and have all had a pretty impressive spring.

Crackerjack, who’s the wild man of the group, is owned by the late Colin Davidson and his mother Lucy Boynton. Crackers is an American Thoroughbred by the legendary stallion Aberjack. Crackers is a real character in the barn and is a very careful jumper who often gets too keen and too brave to the fences. Last weekend at the Carolina International in Southern Pines, NC he felt fantastic and finished in 5^th place.

Stephen Blauner of Millbrook, NY owns Master Frisky, who’s a well-bred, quintessential Irish horse: his sire is Master Imp and he’s out of a Clover Hill mare. He’s the most laid-back of the trio; he’s very smart in the dressage and has wonderful stamina cross-country.

Pancho Villa is a horse I’ve had for a couple years now. He’s owned by the Pancho Villa syndicate and is probably the greenest of the three, so I’ll see how he goes at the Fork and then decide whether to run Jersey Fresh or Rolex.

Caitlin, Lillian and Erin are also entered at Rolex this year. They’re all on seasoned four-star horses now and I’m expecting they’ll all do well.

Looking at the Pan-Am Games this summer, all of these horses are potential Pan-Am team horses; I’m sure after the spring three-day events the team will start to pick itself.

I’ve also got two potential three-star horses, Welcome Shadow and SBF Cortez, entered at Jersey Fresh. They are young but experienced two-star horses now and with a good performance there I feel they could also throw their hat in the ring to be considered to represent the US in Toronto.

All of these horses will compete at The Fork in North Carolina on Easter weekend.

-Boyd