Record Turnout for Take2 Hunter and Jumper Finals

The $23,000 TAKE2 Hunter and Jumper Finals celebrated a record turnout at Split Rock's Kentucky National Horse Show Sunday, with 48 Thoroughbreds from 14 states converging on the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. When the last round was completed, it was Nikki Fry's local hero Gogo besting 24 rivals to win the TAKE2 Hunters, and Amanda Prescott's Hollywood, in from Florida, repeating as the TAKE2 Thoroughbred Jumper Champion. The reserve champions were Amelia Prevost's Follow Me in the Hunters, and Samantha Mummert's Stealin' Your Thunder in the Jumpers.

"We had owners and trainers and riders from as far away as Oklahoma and Texas and Louisiana, from Massachusetts and Maryland and New York and Pennsylvania, from up north in Michigan and down south in Florida and South Carolina," said TAKE2 Executive Director Andy Belfiore. "The support for the Thoroughbred is truly inspiring; we all come together in appreciation of these amazing horses."

Gogo is new to the TAKE2 Thoroughbred League, joining in June and needing a wild card berth to get into the Finals. He easily earned his place with two seconds and a third in his division at Kentucky National and Fry was cautiously optimistic about his chances on Sunday.

"He has a brilliant mind, but he just moved up to the 3' division last month," she said. "I knew he'd be good in the Stonelea ring (where the division was held), but didn't know how he'd handle the Alltech for the Finals because it can be a spooky ring for a green horse. We were all pleasantly surprised!"

Just 6 years old, Gogo was purchased by Calumet Farm for $55,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November Sale in 2020. Registered with The Jockey Club as Go Code, he had a handful of uninspiring workouts at Saratoga and Payson Park before his owners determined that racing might not be his calling.

"I got him from my friends at Calumet Farm—Rita and Ed Kane," Fry said. "Ed is the farm manager and sees a lot of horses come through there. Rita called me and said she had a good one.

"He had trained but had never showed an inclination to go fast," she continued. "I really respect the trainers who see early that the racetrack is not the horse's destiny."

Gogo took to his new career quickly.

"He is the sweetest horse and is everyone's favorite," Fry remarked. "He is my safe horse and never has a bad day."

Originally from England, Fry grew up in New Jersey and has been riding since age 10. It was the horses that drew her to settle in Kentucky. She campaigned Gogo herself earlier in the season, but handed the reins to rider Bella Canzano for the Finals.

"About a year or so ago I started having problems with depth perception," she explained. "That's a pretty important thing when you jump! I went to a specialist and am having eye surgery next month. But I'll probably have Bella keep showing him because I'm enjoying watching them so much."

Fry gave shoutouts to all of Team Gogo.

"I wanted to thank everyone that helped me with Gogo this year," she said. "I spent the winter in Houston and Teri Bludworth helped me a lot there. Madison Purcell started riding Gogo earlier this summer and did an excellent job before she had to go back home. Maxine Preston helped me a lot on the flat with him. Bella did such a wonderful job and I hope will continue to do so. I have to thank (trainer) Elaine Schott, who knows a good horse and knows what to do to bring them along and is, of course, as competitive as me!"

She added, "Thank you to TAKE2! I've been riding for over 50 years and, back when I started, almost everyone rode Thoroughbreds. There was no prejudice against them. Some of our greatest Olympic horses have been Thoroughbreds. I'm so glad to see the effort to make people realize that they are overlooking such great horses in our country."

Hollywood is proving himself to be one that is hard to overlook. A TAKE2 League member since 2021, the flashy 15-year-old was reserve champion at the TAKE2 Finals in 2023 and blazed his way to the top last year. For owner/rider Prescott, there was more opportunity to savor the experience this time.

"I felt more pressure last year," she said. "I had been second the first year, had a single time fault the second year, and really wanted to win last year. This year was about having fun, visiting with friends and family and enjoying the weekend."

Illinois-bred Hollywood raced under the name Document and won twice in 32 starts to earn just $15,575. Prescott found him listed on the CANTER website, drove to Hawthorne Park to see him, and decided to take him home. They have been a team since 2016, and train with Laura Barrett just north of Orlando.

Prescott works full time as the Senior Director of Homologation for the robotaxi company Zoox where, according to their website, she leads "the company's efforts in achieving certifications for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), state vehicle code requirements, emissions compliance, and prohibited materials adherence." She does not have a lot of free time, but will make a point of spending some of it in the saddle this season.

"I only show four or five times a year, and we will continue competing in the 1.10m amateurs next year," she said. "But we hope to be back for the Finals!"

In addition to taking home first prize in the TAKE2 Jumper Final, Prescott earned $1,000 as the top amateur in the event, and 16-year-old Samuelle Leerkamp, third aboard Malacrianza, picked up $500 as the top junior. In the TAKE2 Hunter Final, the leading amateur was Grace Bernhardt, who was third with Tuxedo Sunday, and 15-year-old Aidan Gass, 12th with Quiet Prospector, led the juniors; he was also the division's TAKE2 Junior Rider champion this past season.