Martin, Blackfoot Mystery in Medal Range
Description:
On a cross-country course that proved too much for many of the world's top eventing riders and horses Aug. 8 at the summer Olympics in Rio, U.S. rider Boyd Martin and his off-track Thoroughbred Blackfoot Mystery thrived.
Blackfoot Mystery, a 12-year-old Kentucky-bred Out of Place gelding, and Martin powered through the nearly four-mile course without a single penalty on any of the jumps. After an average dressage performance, Martin and Blackfoot Mystery moved into medal range with a superior run in cross country when the duo added a mere 3.2 time penalty to their dressage score.
Martin and Blackfoot Mystery rank sixth going into eventing's final event, show jumping, which begins at 10 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 9. (USA Network).
After the completion of the dressage round on Sunday, Martin and Blackfoot Mystery ranked 35th. But their strong run in cross country Monday rocketed them into sixth.
While Martin and U.S. teammate Phillip Dutton (fifth place) are in range of individual medals, the U.S. team is out of the team competition after Martin and Dutton were the only two U.S. riders to complete Monday's difficult cross-country course.
Australia's Christopher Burton ranks first going into show jumping with 37.6 penalty points. Martin enters with 50.9 penalty points.