Jamie Sailor Finishes the $10,000 Welcome Speed in a Flash at Desert International Horse Park

By Jumper News USA on December 5, 2024

Thermal, California, USA – December 4, 2024 – Jamie Sailor (USA) and Fire Flash Toltien have consistently shown that they are tough to beat at the 1.35m height, and on Wednesday, December 4, at the Desert International Horse Park, that proved to be the case again. While 97 other entries tried, no one could catch Sailor and “Willow,” earning the pair the win in the $10,000 Welcome Speed 1.35m, sponsored by Champion Shavings.

**Jamie Sailor** (USA) & **Fire Flash Toltien**

Wednesday marked the start of Desert Holiday 1, presented by Brown Advisory, and for Sailor, the opening day of the two-week Desert Holiday series could not have gone much better.

“It’s always good to start off on the first day with a win!” said Sailor. “All my other horses jumped super today too. We were just in it to win it. I was super, super happy that [Fire Flash Toltien] was able to lay it out. I did all the leave out strides, and she was just there for me the whole way. I’m on a high right now!”

Sailor was the third to last rider to jump the track set in the Grand Prix Stadium by course designer Alan Wade (IRL), and, up until that point, Nick Haness (USA) and Charismo Z had held the lead for much of the class on a time of 60.943 seconds.

With her partner of nearly four years, however, Sailor made besting that time look simple. She and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by Carolyn Mittler, flashed through the timers in 58.883 seconds to relegate Haness and Charismo Z, owned by Lindsay Maxwell, to second place.

Rounding out the top three on a time of 61.166 seconds were Mexico’s Patricio Pasquel (MEX) and his own Mazatlan PS.

“This was a very fast course, so I knew I had to have a big gallop,” said Sailor following her win. “I’m really super happy how [Fire Flash Toltein] handled the course…being able to open up her stride and still cover the back bar of the oxers. This height is very happy for her. She’s very good at this height, so I was really happy with today and this evening.”

Sailor continued, “Her barn name is Willow, and she is just a super star. There are not enough good words to say about her. Actually, I normally don’t get a rub out of her, and [in the warm-up ring today], we were a little deep to the last one. She jumped up and barely touched the back bar and then bucked a couple times after because she’s sassy that way. I was like, ‘Alright I know she’s going to give me her heart out there,’ and she always does. She’s so good.”