Jimmy Torano Winning Streak Alive in USHJA International Hunter Derby
The new year is looking to be a winning one for Wellington’s Jimmy Torano, and Laskano, owned by Isalou, Inc. The pair christened their Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) season by taking the blue in Friday’s $25,000 USHJA 2* International Hunter Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™, during opening week, after winning the same class in 2023.
In classic derby format, two panels of judges tallied their scores for the first round, determining which twelve riders – of the original eighteen – would return for the handy track. Torano’s combined first round score of 190 sent him to the top of the leaderboard and in perfect standing for the handy phase.
“Two years ago, we won every derby we entered together so I know I can really count on him when it comes to these classes,” said Torano of the eleven-year-old gelding by Laskaja.
Torano’s trust in Laskano allowed him to maximize his handy round, saying, “I decided that I was going to take every risk. Even going in on top I knew other riders could easily take over that top score, so I stuck to my plan of taking those risks. I can really count on this horse, I truly believe in him so I took every inside turn and each tougher option to stay in that top spot.”
Photo © Sportfot – Jimmy Torano and Laskano, winners of the $25,000 USHJA 2* International Hunter Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™.
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