Five-time Olympian Phillip Dutton staked himself a big lead in the three-star eventing competition Friday at The Event at Rebecca Farm.

Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Ben, his 12-year-old Holsteiner, posted a score of 40.8 in their dressage test to take an eight-point lead over defending champion Kristi Nunnink (Auburn, Calif.) and R-Star.

“It’s good to have a lead like that, but we’ve still got two days to go, so we’ll see,” Dutton said. “What we can end on is more important.

“You’re always thinking about what you could do better. I left some points there in the ring, but we’re starting to trust each other now. I know when he’s going to go in the ring that he’s got plenty of movement and I don’t have to overdo it and make it look easy and nice and soft. It’s getting better and better, so I’m pretty excited about him.”

Dutton won the advanced division aboard Ben in 2011 before missing The Event last year to compete at the London Olympics. This year he moved Ben up to the three-star level, and said the horse is fitter than he’s ever been.

“He’s never been this fit in his life, so I’ve got a little bit different horse to deal with now,” Dutton said.

Katie Ruppel (Anthony, Fla.) and her horse, Houdini, posted a score of 49.2 to take the early lead in the dressage competition, and that held up through 11 riders. Then Dutton stole the show, drawing the biggest applause of the day from an otherwise reserved crowd.

“(Houdini’s) a pretty good dressage horse, so I was hoping he’d stay up there,” Ruppel said. “I was pretty pumped he had the early lead until I saw Phillip canter in.”

Ruppel ended up third behind Dutton and Nunnink. Considering this was just Houdini’s third three-star competition, Ruppel said she’s excited to be in third place with two disciplines remaining.

“He is so green and I’m thrilled with where he’s at right now,” she said. “I think in a year or two I can expect him to be consistently in the top three, and hopefully winning. For this test today, I’m very pleased with him.”

Nunnink followed Dutton with a score of 48.8, giving herself a chance to repeat as champion at Rebecca Farm with two days remaining.

“I had a few little bobbles because we’re working on making (R-Star) more supple, and she likes to do little canter steps to avoid that,” Nunnink said. “But she’s getting better and better, and I’m very happy with her.”

Gina Miles, a 2008 silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics, threatened to bump Ruppel and Houdini out of the top three, but ended up 0.2 points back.

The three-star competition continues today with the cross-country event, which begins at 11:30 a.m. Ruppel will be on the course at 11:42 a.m. Dutton is scheduled to begin at 12:03 p.m. and Nunnink will follow at 12:06.

The Event at Rebecca Farm

Friday, CIC3*

Dressage

Rider Horse Score

Phillip Dutton Ben 40.8

Kristi Nunnink R-Star 48.8

Katie Ruppel Houdini 49.2

Gina Miles Chanel 49.4

Zachary Brandt Cavallino Cocktail 50.4

Ellen Doughty Sir Oberon 52.2

Katherine Groesbeck

Oz Poof of Purchase 52.4

Lauren Billys Ballingowan Ginger 53.0

Jeanine Allred Snap Decision 54.2

Katherine Groesbeck Oz The Tin Man 55.0

Jolie Wentworth GoodKnight 55.8

Barbara Crabo Over Easy 56.2

Emilee Libby Nonsensical 56.4

Jennifer Taxay Kelly Taboo 56.6

Pam Fisher Sea Lion II 58.2

Geriann Henderson Kingslee 59.2

Jordan Taylor Cambridge 63.6

Kevin Baumgardner Jefferson D’Aurois 63.8

Avery Klunick In It To Win It 65.0

Andrea Baxter Indy 500 66.8