Torano claimed the victory aboard Chiara Blue Diamond, and the pair set the tone right off the bat, riding clean as the first of 27 entries to take on the 16-jump opening round course. Five more riders put down fault-free runs to force a jump off, and that’s where Torano came through again — going first and ultimately topping the field.

Just two days ago, Torano finished runner-up to Laura Chapot in the $30,000 Prevost Jumper Classic. He knew Chapot, as well as four others who followed, were looking to beat his jump-off effort, but in the end, they were unable to get it done. Amber Harte came closest. Riding Austria 2, Harte went second in the jump-off, and joined Torano as the only two to ride clean in the jump-off without knocking down a rail. Harte however, was unable to beat Torano’s winning time of 38.979.

Chapot and her horse Thornhill Kate, were the final horse-and-rider combination in the second round and knocked down a rail on the very first jump to end their shot at a grand prix win Sunday.

“I went in first and I tried to put enough pressure on,” Torano said of the jump off. “I knew I had a couple fast ones coming behind me, Laura Chapot going dead last — she beat me on Friday. I was winning the class and she came in and beat me so for sure that was in the back of my mind.”

Jimmy Torano guides Chiara Blue Diamond over a jump in Sunday’s grand prix. Torano topped the field for his first grand prix victory in the Lake Placid Horse Show since 2005. (Enterprise photo -- Lou Reuter)

Torano, of Wellington, Florida, hadn’t won a grand prix in Lake Placid since 2005, and rode four horses Sunday in an effort to get the job done. His top finish after Chiara Blue Diamond was a 12th-place result aboard Day Dream, which was the final position earning a pay check. Torano picked up $22,500 for the win and another $1,500 for 12th place.

“I went on four today,” Torano said. “I didn’t have much luck with the other ones. My own horse finished last (in the money). He jumped very well but we had an unlucky rub. A good day. I was second on Friday, one today, so for sure a good week.”

Harte finished clean in the eight-jump second round with a time of 39.600 seconds. She won $16,500 for second place. Canadian Francois Lamontagne and his horse Chanel Du Calvaire finished third, David Raposa and S & L Sage grabbed fourth, and Chapot and Thornhill Kate were fifth. Raposa rode two mounts in the jump off, finishing sixth aboard Iliona.

After riding first and riding clean in the jump off, Torano refused to climb off Chiara Blue Diamond until the contest was settled.

“We actually had a joke the other day with David Raposa and I,” Torano recalled. “I said when I came out of the ring and was winning I was going to stay on my horse. The groom went to take the horse from me and I said ‘No, no.’ I’m going to stay on it until I get beat. I stayed on it until the last horse went. It seemed to work. Maybe a little superstitious. I usually try to (stay on). If I’m winning I don’t try to change up a lot.”

Sunday’s grand prix marked the end of the 48th Lake Placid Horse Show. Competition picks back up Tuesday with the I Love New York Horse Show, which runs through Sunday. The big event, the $100,000 Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix, takes place on Saturday.