September 3, 2022 
Talk about getting a jump on the weekend.
It was all red ribbons and victory gallops for Egypt’s Nayel Nassar & Coronado in the CSI 5* Friends of the Meadows class on Thursday at the CSI 5*/2* ‘Continental’ tournament at Spruce Meadows, presented by Rolex.
Nassar and Coronado were the fastest pair through the timers in the single-round 1.55m track by Course Designer Anthony D’Ambrosio, stopping the clock on a clear 63.30 seconds. Just 0.05 seconds slower, Kent Farrington (USA) and Landon were hot on Nassar’s heels in second place, while Kara Chad (CAN) and Quidamo settled for third.
Owned by Evergate Stables, the 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding and Nassar have been paired together for just over a year—and their partnership is starting to pay-off. In August, the pair took home a big win in the CSIO 5* 1.60m Anglesea Stakes at the Dublin Horse Show, where it was clear that towering fences and a big grass field play to the gelding’s strengths.
“Coronado had a light summer so far, we’ve been building him back up after some down time in the spring,” Nassar said after that class. “The goal [is] to have him ready for some big grands prix by the end of the summer.”
It appears Nassar can go head and check that box.
Tomorrow, the ‘Continental’ concludes with biggest class of the weekend: The Friends of the Meadows 1.60m Grand Prix at 1:30 p.m. MT.
Next week, Spruce Meadows competition will continue with the iconic CSIO ‘Masters’ tournament, including the famed CP International Grand Prix, part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, on Sunday, September 11.
