Aldergrove's Kassidy Keith had mixed emotions walking the course for the "Seize the Day" Speed Derby at Thunderbird Show Park on Saturday, June 29.
She had two mounts coming forward with varying experience levels for the uniquely formatted class. With Evita, Keith felt confident, but with Fenelon she was admittedly nervous.
And she was right on both accounts.
On Fenelon, her first ride of the evening, things didn't go as planned and Keith was unseated midway through the course 鈥� resulting in elimination.
But her 15-year-old KWPN mare Evita made up for it, who is also a former winner of the CS15* SunLife Financial Derby at Spruce Meadows with Sam Walker.
Together, Keith and Evita topped the faults-converted class by more than two seconds, crossing the timers of Marina Azevedo's 1.25m course in 88.96 seconds.
"She's jumped everything," Keith commented of Evita. "She wasn't spooked at anything. And the more gas you give her, the more she wants to win."
Few clear rounds came on the day, with Bryna Closson from the U.S. on Meteroric Rise one of just four riders able to execute a faultless effort.
"After the four-stride on the side of the ring, I was going to jump the left side of the option, but I decided to jump the right side to [turn] tight back to the log," Keith said. "[Evita] just opened up at the end."
Keith took in Evita after a lease fell through for Marion Cunningham of MarBill Hill Farm, who had been training her hunter at the Keith farm about two years ago.
"This was the second place I've jumped her," Keith shared. "Marion is just very supportive, and she wants the horses to be in good hands and taken care of."
Going forward, Keith hopes to participate in more derby events with Evita, and ultimately place her where she can be most successful.
"She's older, so we just want to keep her where she's happy and comfortable," Keith said.
