Fabio Leivas Da Costa & Randon Pleasure Dominate $25K Pilates Rocks Grand Prix at PBIEC

Fabio Leivas Da Costa of Brazil piloted three mounts inside of the top twelve and smoked the jump-off aboard Randon Pleasure, stopping the clock in 37.546 seconds to take top honors in the $25,000 Pilates Rocks Grand Prix at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

Fabio Leivas Da Costa and Randon Pleasure. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography

Marilyn Little of Frederick, MD, and RF Casablanca, a 2010 Holsteiner mare (Cosido x Landos) owned by Raylyn Farms, Inc., claimed second for the second week in a row with a jump-off time of 40.154 seconds, while Wellington resident Celso Ariani and Ukulman De La Nutria, a 2008 Selle Francais gelding by Quick Star, owned by Ricardo Romero Garcia, cleared the short course in 40.579 seconds to finish third. Da Costa also collected earnings aboard Tosca De L’Esques in 11th and Kalisto the Music in 12th.

Of 27 entries completing the track set by Andy Christiansen of Wellington, FL, only four pairs earned the chance to prove themselves in the jump-off round, and the 2009 Selle Francais mare (For Pleasure x Quidam De Revel), owned by Bonne Chance Farm, produced a blazing clear round to win by more than 2.6 seconds with Da Costa in the irons.

Fabio Leivas Da Costa of Brazil piloted three mounts inside of the top twelve and smoked the jump-off aboard Randon Pleasure, stopping the clock in 37.546 seconds to take top honors in the $25,000 Pilates Rocks Grand Prix at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Marilyn Little of Frederick, MD, and RF Casablanca, a 2010 Holsteiner mare (Cosido x Landos) owned by Raylyn Farms, Inc., claimed second for the second week in a row with a jump-off time of 40.154 seconds, while Wellington resident Celso Ariani and Ukulman De La Nutria, a 2008 Selle Francais gelding by Quick Star, owned by Ricardo Romero Garcia, cleared the short course in 40.579 seconds to finish third. Da Costa also collected earnings aboard Tosca De L’Esques in 11th and Kalisto the Music in 12th.

Fabio Leivas Da Costa and Randon Pleasure in their presentation ceremony with ring master Steven Rector and Monica Carrera, representing Pilates Rocks. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography

Of 27 entries completing the track set by Andy Christiansen of Wellington, FL, only four pairs earned the chance to prove themselves in the jump-off round, and the 2009 Selle Francais mare (For Pleasure x Quidam De Revel), owned by Bonne Chance Farm, produced a blazing clear round to win by more than 2.6 seconds with Da Costa in the irons.

Da Costa attributed the incredibly fast jump-off performance to his naturally quick horse and commented, “Even to the first jump, we had a nice, big gallop, and were able to go straight to the second jump from there. We did eight strides to the oxer after that and also in the middle of the course, I didn’t need to add because I got the first distance after the turn. It was a really good ride for us – Randon is a really fast horse and I’m a fast rider, so it’s a good match.”

“Randon came to us two years ago for Stephanie Maciera and did a whole WEF season with Stephanie. She then went back to Brazil and did some light shows before coming back for another WEF season [to good results],” Da Costa narrated. “After that, Stephanie went back to Brazil, but the mare stayed with us and I started to ride her a little bit. I had some nice results with her in national classes. Recently in Tryon, Stephanie did two internationals with this mare and did really well again, always clear and going to the jump-off, so she placed several times. The mare is again staying with me while Stephanie went back to Brazil. I’ll probably continue to show her in some internationals this WEF season.”