ASHEVILLE, NC—July 29, 2007—While Shakespeare's Iago is famous for plotting downfalls, it's unlikely the 10-year-old gelding Iago Du Quesnoy, ridden by Jack Hardin Towell, Jr. in yesterday's $25,000 Louise Salter Memorial Grand Prix at the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic, planned his dramatic drop in the final turn of the jump off–a move that both stunned and silenced the crowd. 

The only thing more astonishing may have been his rise and charge to clear the final obstacle, cinching the class for Towell, who counts this as his 3rd career Grand Prix and second consecutive win at this Biltmore Summer Classic. "I landed, and he fell, and I thought, ‘Oh, I just lost the class,'" said an excited Towell, 19, as he accepted handshakes and congratulations following his victory gallop, "but then I looked up and he was still going!" Towell, who hails from Camden, N.C., co-owns the chestnut Warmblood with Finally Farm client Neill Sites.

The evening began with a charming lead-line class of well-dressed toddlers and decorated ponies, followed by the presentation of the week's Grand Champion awards by Classic Company President Bob Bell. While guests and sponsors dined on prime rib, salad, and deserts under the ringside tents, Lindsay Maxwell and Jane Olsen were called to claim prizes won in the Win-Treats raffle. The women accepted, respectively, a one-year cookie club membership and a $1,000 shopping spree on wintreats.org. Then, as sunny skies prevailed and the ornate spires of the French Renaissance-inspired Vanderbilt Estate shimmered in the distance, 21 horse and rider teams gathered for the main event.

With a time allowed of 90 seconds, the serpentine first round of Allen Rheinheimer's 12-obstacle course left only seven contenders standing, including Towell and Iago and his second of three mounts Artur 28, the Millstream, Inc.-owned German Warmblood with which the young rider captured last week's $25,000 Juan Hernandez Grand Prix.  Completing the jump-off were Daniel Geitner with two mounts, the Mrs. Charles Bostwick-owned Sympa and the Kyle Register-owned Trading Places; Michael Tokaruk and his horse Lord Byron; Roberto Teran Sr. and the striking Luis Gutierrez-owned black stallion High Five (winners of the week's Welcome Stakes); and Andy Kocher in the irons of Michael Kocher's The Bus.

Despite the fall, Towell and Iggy, first on the course, set the time to beat at a blazing 31.59 out of a time allowed of 40 seconds, leaving the remaining competitors no choice but to step on the gas and make no errors. Many thought Towell and Artur would have a repeat performance of last week's win. And while the team did stop the clock at an impressive 31.83, it was only fast enough for 2nd place. "I thought he might do it again," agreed Towell. "I thought we'd go faster, but since he's just coming off an injury, I didn't want to go too hard," he added, referring to the fact that the gelding, co-owned and trained by Andrea King, has been out of competition for the last year. "We're taking him next to Traders Point, and so we want to be ready for that."

Aiken, S.C.'s Geitner turned in two excellent clean rounds with his mounts, landing in 3rd place with Trading Places and 4th with Sympa. "There were good, very clean and I was very pleased with both of them," said Geitner, who earlier accepted the Grand Green Conformation Hunter Champion award for Lee Cesery's Couveture. "Sympa is just getting better and better," he added. "Tonight was the first time I really pressed her to go faster and she was super–a little slip for both of them in the jump off," he continued, "but I can't complain about slipping since I didn't almost fall off like Hardin. That was wild!"

Completing the results: Andy Kocher and the Bus had a clear round and earned 5th place, Tokaruk and Lord Byron, with one rail down, came 6th while High Five, with Teran in the irons, also had a rail down and came in 7th. Liza Towell-Boyd, Hardin's sister, while not in the jump off, was 8th on the lovely 7-year-old gelding Noble Carthargo.

"Biltmore has been great for us," concluded Towell who has been a mainstay at the Classic Company's summer show since it's inception.  "I've won two grand prixs here, Liza has won two..." As he prepared to head back to the barn, he pointed to the Grand Prix arena and added, "This was a blast."

The Biltmore Estate Summer Classics concludes on Sunday July 29th. In November, join the Classic Company for the Atlanta Fall Classics, three weeks of shows held at the International Horse Park in Conyers Oct. 31 thru Nov. 19.