Monday March 22, 2004

Dover's Off-Day on Rainier

While Kennedy won both his classes this weekend, Dover’s other Clark-owned mount, Rainier, uncharacteristically placed sixth in the Grand Prix and third in the Special. “He’s done five shows in a row and he had just been shown out pretty much,” Dover said, noting that he picked up his whip for the first time this season five minutes before he and Rainier went in the ring for the Grand Prix. “It was a tactical error because it got him angry and then he did not want to play. Rainier has to be with you, he has to be wanting it.” Dover went off course in the class and explained, “That was part of me not feeling that he really wanted to go, and then I got myself thinking about other things. I went down the centerline when I shouldn’t have.”

Luckily for Dover, in the qualifying procedure for the Selection Trials, he is allowed to drop a score. With the pressure off, the duo had a better performance in the Special on Friday. “He actually was a real gentleman – not on full power like he had been at other shows, but I knew that I already had my score. I had thrown out the score from Thursday. I wanted a nice quiet finish to my season down here with him where he was happy with me and I think I achieved that.”

Dover is now qualified with both horses to contest the Olympic Selection Trials in San Juan Capistrano, CA, in June. “With Kennedy at this moment I am just behind Debbie [McDonald] in second overall for the country. With Rainier I’m fifth in the country. I’m thrilled,” said Dover, and added, “I’m just a happy guy. Again, I have Jane Clark to thank for me being such a happy guy!”