Lexington, KY - Cool and breezy conditions prevailed at the Kentucky Horse Park today for the third day of the Kentucky Spring Classic Horse Show. The competition continues through Sunday, May 20. Highlights in the Sheila C. Johnson Arena were the High Junior and High Amateur-Owner Jumpers. Saphira and Alexandra Arute of Avon, CT, were the winners in the junior class, while Danielle Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, piloted Pandoer to the win in the amateurs.

This week's courses in the Johnson Arena are designed by Bolivia's Jose Gamarra. Both the juniors and amateurs rode over a Table II, Sec. 2b format, and there were 12 numbered obstacles in the first course. The jump-off had a one stride, and the final oxer was a liverpool.

In the High Junior Jumpers, eight riders were clear to advance to the jump-off. The leading time was set by Emily Braunstein on Innovator, who were clear in 35.073 seconds. Arute and Saphira dropped the leading time down to 34.188 seconds. There was a late bid from Katherine Newman and Costa Sur, but they had to settle for second place when they posted a time of 34.447 seconds.

Arute has owned the 12-year-old German Warmblood mare since November and said, "She's really quick and hot. I like her a lot because she's sensitive. If I pull, she comes right back and she accelerates so quickly. It makes the distances really easy to adjust to."

The young rider has not shown since the Charlotte Jumper Classic, and she noted, "I was a little rusty. It wasn't as smooth as I would have liked it to go. She was my second ride, so it was easier on her. My first one was a little...not so great!"

Arute did not see the time she had to beat today. "I heard someone was double clear, but I didn't watch it. I had a plan, but I went a little too fast for the last two jumps," she revealed with a smile. "That was not in the plan to go that fast. It worked out well; we got lucky!"

Nine of the 24 entries in the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers were clear through to the second round. Torano went early in the class and was the first double clear on course with Pandoer, a ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding. Pandoer wasted no time in the air and tripped the timers in 32.502 seconds to hold on to the win.

Torano is getting back into the swing of things since she gave birth to her daughter this past December. In 2005, Torano showed Pandoer regularly, but this was their first time together in Kentucky. "He's been great here. He won the classic on Sunday. Last year, I was pregnant and nobody knew, so I had my husband Jimmy show him. When you have a good horse that jumps all that stuff, it's great. It's a fun horse show, and he's been perfect."

For today's class, Torano was trying to get a solid class under her belt before Sunday's classic. Of the course, she remarked, "I actually thought today was a bit more than last week. He hasn't shown since Sunday. I didn't want to get him crazed because he won't show again until Sunday."

She added, "I tried to not go too fast because I went extremely fast on Sunday. I tried to go just medium. He's a fast horse. He waits for you to tell him, and he turns back easily. He doesn't spend time in the air; he's on to the next jump. I thought he'd be in the top few, but I could have been beaten. We had today to get warmed up, and he went really well in the ring."

The Kentucky Spring Classic continues tomorrow with more jumper action in three rings. The main attraction in the Johnson Arena is the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic.

For full results and more information, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Results of Class 250 HIGH JUNIOR JUMPER LEVEL 7 II, 2(b) T/A: 83.00 T/A: 43.00

1. SAPHIRA ALEXANDRA ARUTE 0.00 70.602 0.00 34.188 OLYMPIC DREAMS LLC
2. COSTA SUR KATHERINE NEWMAN 0.00 72.961 0.00 34.447 KATHERINE NEWMAN
3. INNOVATOR EMILY BRAUNSTEIN 0.00 71.121 0.00 35.073 EMILY BRAUNSTEIN
4. SPECIAL VERDICT SARAH TREDENNICK 0.00 77.130 4.00 34.643 M/M JOHN TREDENNICK
5. HADDON HOUSE CARLSON CATHERINE PASMORE 0.00 68.869 6.00 44.069 BERKLEY STABLES
6. MY FAIR LADY ALEXANDRA ARUTE 0.00 68.048 8.00 36.351 OLYMPIC DREAMS LLC
7. ESCADA CHRISTINA KELLY 0.00 68.960 12.00 32.876 BARBARA KELLY & KIM BARONE
8. EDWARD HIMSELF AMELIA MCARDLE 0.00 75.865 elim. KATHY KAMINE
9. OUTLINE JENNIFER WAXMAN 4.00 73.099 JENNIFER WAXMAN
10. PILOT AMELIA MCARDLE 4.00 76.421 AMELIA MCARDLE
11. RILLETTO CATHY ROLFS 4.00 79.012 CATHY ROLFS

Results of Class 245 HIGH AMATEUR JUMPER LEVEL 7 II,2(b) T/A: 78.00 T/A: 43.00

1. PANDOER DANIELLE TORANO 0.00 69.147 0.00 32.502 DANIELLE TORANO AND JIMMY TORANO
2. OMONA CAROLYN KELLY 0.00 72.419 0.00 32.995 LULU EQUESTRIAN
3. MILL CREEK VALENTINE TONYA HENNING0.00 73.116 0.00 33.195 MILL CREEK STABLES
4. LA MARTINEE PAIGE JOHNSON 0.00 73.282 0.00 34.263 SALAMANDER FARM
5. OSCAR VDL DAISY JOHNSON 0.00 74.112 0.00 35.027 WGHR FARM AND SALE JOHNSON
6. SANSIERA LAUREN TISBO 0.00 73.390 0.00 35.032 TEQUESTRIAN FARMS LLC
7. LARONE TRACEY WEINBERG 0.00 69.341 4.00 33.763 TRACEY WEINBERG & THE WEINBERG BROKERAGE GROUP
8. KADORIJKE ALEX PARRISH 0.00 72.104 8.00 38.723 ALEXANDER FARM
9. BB SEQ VIDA MLHER CARNAND THERESA TOURINHO 0.00 71.791 8.00 38.887 THERESA TOURINHO
10. RIANT CAROLYN KELLY 1.00 78.714 LULU EQUESTRIAN
11. MELBOURNE LOUISE OTTEN 4.00 72.699 NO TRUMP FARM
12. RUPERT AMANDA GUMBERG 4.00 73.758 SKARA GLEN STABLES

Photo Credit: Pandoer and Danielle Torano, winners of the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers at the Kentucky Spring Classic Horse Show. Photo (C) 2007 Jennifer Wood/PMG Pictures.