Lexington, KY – May 15, 2026 – Derby day returned on Friday afternoon for the second week of the Kentucky Spring Series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Once again, it was Lizzie Rinehart and Bugatti who topped the standings in the the $7,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by All Bizness Insurance. They showcased the wonderful partnership that they have developed over the last few months, leading from start to finish and claiming the win for the second week in a row. The talented duo finished just ahead of Caitlin Venezia White and Fine By Me, who placed second, while Iris Perlioni and Amour rounded out the top three.
“Bugatti is a really special horse,” smiled Rinehart after her win. “He’s good at just about everything he does. He’s very handy, so he loves the second round of the Derbys. I also think his jumping style really catches peoples attention when he goes in the ring.”
Lizzie Rinheart & Bugatti
Friday’s highlight event featured two courses designed by Jasen Shelley. The classic round used natural fences that included four high options to gain extra points, as well as an in-and-out. The top 12 were invited to return for the handy course, where they used inside turns and direct routes to garner higher scores from the judges. The handy round had several long gallops, an inside turn to the trot jump and finished with the in-and-out before riders cantered to the gate and walked out.
Rinehart and Bugatti caught the judges attention as soon as they cantered to the first jump in the classic round, flawlessly executing the course to earn a score of 94. They returned for the handy round in the lead and once again had a brilliant round that was rewarded with a score of 89.65 for a total score of 183.65 and the win.
Bugatti is a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Balou that is owned by Charlotte Rossetter and trained by McKenzie Canard of Spring Hollow. Rinehart began riding him just a few months ago, but has already developed a great partnership with the talented horse. “I wanted to give Bugatti a smooth, confident round today,” explained Rinehart. “He really jumps well from anywhere and everywhere, so he just needs you to get down to the jumps. He looks slow because he has a giant stride, so he walks the lines. He is really able to make a beautiful jump from anywhere.”
The next stop for the team will be the Devon Horse Show, followed by Junior Hunter Finals, which will also be held at the Kentucky Horse Park. “He’s mainly a Junior Hunter, so he will do that again this weekend,” said Rinehart. “It gives us a lot of confidence knowing that we will be back here for Junior Hunter Finals. I’m very thankful for the opportunity to ride him, and thankful for our entire team, especially McKenzie.”
Caitlin Venezia White & Fine By Me
White and Fine By Me also had two beautiful trips during the $7,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, earning a 92 in the first round and then returning to earn a 90 in the handy for a total score of 182 and the second place prize. The third place award went to Perlioni and Amour after they earn a 90 in the classic round and a 89.5 in the handy for a 179.5 total score.
Iris Perlioni & Amour
Hunter action will continue on Sunday with the $1,500 USHJA Pony Derby and $1,500 2’6” Non-Pro Derby, as well as more Grand Hunter Championships presented throughout the weekend, courtesy of Hagyard Equine.
For more information on Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.