April 25, 2025 
“This is the best group of five-star horses I’ve had,” said Boyd Martin (USA) at the start of the press conference after the second dressage day of the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event (K3DE) in Lexington.
“We’re working very, very hard with their dressage. They’re quality horses. To have three horses in the 20s; it’s been a huge amount of work, not just from me, but my wife [Silva Martin], who rides them when I’m away a lot. It’s just a relief to deliver good tests. You always stay up late at night wondering if something’s going to go wrong.”
Boyd came the closest to closing the gap between Michael Jung (GER) and fischerChipmunk FRH’s, who lead the five-star on a record breaking 18.6. On his final ride in the heaviest downpour of the day, Boyd and Commando 3 scored a 26.0 to slot into second.
He’s now the favorite U.S. rider to even the odds against German domination with all three of his rides in the top 12 after dressage.
“I think the real challenge [is] to make sure that you’ve got plenty of horse left,” Boyd commented on the course Derek di Grazia set out for the 5* cross-country. “It’s not going to be a dressage test! It’s going to be a very, very exciting contest tomorrow, and hopefully we’re all sitting up here again.”
Equiratings Prediction Centre continues to put Martin on Federman B as his highest likely win chance with 5% and Commando 3 with only a 2% win chance, despite the better starting score. Between all his rides, Boyd has a 7% total win chance and a 36% total chance to finish top 3, making him the fourth overall favorite to win and the third favorite to podium.
The next closest challenger to Jung comes from 2024 Paris Olympian Tom McEwen (GBR) on Brookfield Quality. A 26.2 from the first session of 5* dressage on Friday puts them on the podium and keeps the pressure on Boyd. Only 3.3 penalty points separates second from 10th so time faults on cross-country will be influential.
“He’s a super, super lovely little fellow,” McEwen said of ‘Norris.’ “He tried as hard as he can. I went down the centerline, and he looked at the judge at C so I was wondering what was going on there. But apart from that, he was absolutely fantastic. Nice and smooth, really listening to me, and not too far away from Miki!”
When asked about the cross-country course, McEwen said it was a typical di Grazia design.
“It’s very clear for the horses, and it’s a positive track. As we all know with Derek’s courses, they catch many people out in many different areas for many different reasons, and you will have to be right on your A game. It always walks the first time, quite twisty, and rides really flowing.”
Sitting in fourth position is Kentucky newcomer Libussa Lübbeke (GER) and her partner Caramia 34. They earned a 27.1 in their second 5* start, and while they had a pin activation and a rail in Luhmuhlen, there is a strong possibility they will add nothing to there score on Saturday.
“We were thinking about [coming to Kentucky] at the end of last year,” she said. “Maybe [Caramia] is the best partner to try the first time in Kentucky. We’re doing our best. I think she’s unique and trying her heart out for me.”
Boyd’s second ride, Luke 140, sits in sixth with a 27.9 and the rest of the top 10 is all New Zealand with Clarke Johnstone on Menlo Park, Tim Price on Falco, Jarillo and Happy Boy and Monica Spencer and Artist slotting themselves in amongst the top finishers.
Five star cross-country action begins at 1:30 pm EST. Kentucky has been absolutely drenched over the last two weeks so terrain and fitness will be very influential. Time penalties are suspected to stack up, and will no doubt impact the leaderboard tomorrow!
