When asked about Derek di Grazia’s four-star cross-country track during the press conference on Thursday following the first day of dressage competition at the 2026 Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S, the U.S.’s Tamie Smith confidently told media that no one was going to make the time.

The 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L champion, who is all too familiar with di Grazia’s tests, saw the writing on the wall. None of the riders made the optimal time, but Smith and powerhouse 10-year-old Holsteiner mare Lillet 3 came the closest to top the overnight four-star leaderboard going into show jumping on Sunday.

“The way Derek broke the course up and had you turning just when you started to get into rhythm made it really hard to get close to the time unless you were on a really fast horse,” Smith noted. “I added in some places and maybe could have been a little closer to the time, but I thought it was pretty impossible to do.”

While Smith noted there were a lot of serious questions on the four-star track, “Lillet” zipped around it with ease. “She felt like a little race car out there. We’re just a couple of years into developing our partnership and for the last eight months, we’ve really been clicking and on the same page,” she said. “It takes time to get to know a new horse and figure out what they’re like. But she is unbelievable—she’s so fast and rideable and smart.”

Through Lillet’s first experience tackling a four-star at Kentucky, Smith hopes the mare continues to grow and gain more confidence in her job. “She has such an elegance about her and a very sure way of going,” she said. “It was so cute in the 10-minute box today when a friend of mine put a little water on her since it was kind of warm. She turned and looked at us like, ‘I don’t need water for a short.’ It was really cute; she just stood there like a queen. I love getting to know my horses’ individual personalities and helping them find their confidence, and I was really pleased with how our partnership played out today.”

Lillet wasn’t the only lady to deliver in the four-star cross country. Will Coleman (USA) and 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Very Dignified had a stellar, faultless round to cruise into second place. While Mia Farley (USA) and 10-year-old American Warmblood Invictus also celebrated a solid, swift cross-country round to come out in third going into show jumping.

Coleman and Farley Slide Into Overnight Second and Third

Before piloting Very Dignified through the four-star track, Coleman had his first crack at di Grazia’s course with his other four-star mount Fahrenheit Addict. While he and the gelding had a clear round, Coleman discovered just how challenging it was to make the time, especially after being distracted by a loose dog who managed to run across the galloping lane just in front of the pair while on course. “Thankfully everything was fine. I’m sure it scared the owner just as much as it scared me,” Coleman said. “My horse was definitely aware of it, but fortunately it didn’t cause any mishaps.”

After navigating the course with Fahrenheit Addict, Coleman realized how efficiently he needed to ride to try and make the time with Very Dignified. “You really need an outright galloper on this course and can’t waste a step out there,” he noted. “You have to pay attention all the way around. The lines and combinations all come up super fast. It’s a very quick-thinking course and just keeps coming at you.”

Coleman noted that this was the mare’s first advanced run of the year and he couldn’t have been more pleased with her. “I took her around the preliminary and intermediate horse trials and have just been trying to slowly build her up. I’m not 100% sure what my plans are for her this year, but I have an idea,” he said. “I can tell you, she was amazing today. This mare is very strong-minded.”

While going fast was definitely part of Farley’s plan with Invictus on Saturday, the talented 25-year-old eventer said she went into Saturday’s four-star track with an open mind. “I wanted to go fast, but making the time was quite hard. I wish I’d been a little bit quicker everywhere,” she said. “But I was super happy with ‘Sammy.’ For most of the course, when I asked him to come back to me, he did. Over the last year, we’ve definitely gained more experience, and I think that trust is really what’s made the difference.”

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To check out more of our coverage from the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, click here.

Thanks to Dechra for our coverage of the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. It includes lead-up events, rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more.