Wylde Takes Lead in Selection Trial 4

Madden Remains in Close Contention

After Trial 3 at Del Mar the first weekend, Beezie Madden had only two time faults with De Silvio. She had one rail down in Trial 4. She said, “That balance stays on the time allowed, but not sacrificing a rail. My trip felt like it was on the track.”

She agreed with Wylde about the time as a crucial element. Comparing this venue to Del Mar (Trials 1 through 3), she noted, “It's definitely more challenging. He [Palacios] is increasing the challenge each round. It's going to be tough.”

She added about her three horses—De Silvio, Authentic, and Judgement—“I have a lot of confidence in them, and they do in me.” And on Conquest, she won both Friday's and Saturday's rounds of the Budweiser International Speed Derby.

Madden's scores place her third, fourth, and 10 th . McLain Ward is a close second to Wylde on Sapphire, and Lauren Hough and Clasiko are right behind Madden's Authentic. Fein Cera, Sapphire, and De Silvio have each accrued only a single jumping fault across the first four rounds.

“It's so not over,” said Hough. “Two more rounds can change the whole story. It's important to keep putting in solid scores.”

Of the 34 starters, five have dropped from contention. Two include the veterans, Margie Goldstein Engle and the horse Glasgow. Engle's previous injury caused her to return home, and Glasgow injured a suspensory.

Rounds 5 and 6 complete the trials Sunday. The top two finishers will earn spots on the team, to be announced May 25.