“This was serendipitous,” said Barbara Brooks, following her 220-point win on Smash Mouse in the NCHA Unlimited Amateur Finals, where Carol Ward claimed reserve with 218 points on Lil Lou Rey, and Tim May placed third with 216 points aboard PRF Reys Ruler.
Brooks drew fifth to ride in the 35-horse field, for which she had qualified on the bubble with 212 points in the Semi-Finals, and 216.5 points in the go-round. It was her first NCHA Triple Crown event win and one she had not anticipated.
“Before October I hadn’t shown since the 2013 NCHA Futurity,” said Brooks, who had been laid off with a ruptured disc and back surgery. “This was not in the plan at all, but Brad (Mitchell) showed him in the Open go-rounds and when he didn’t advance, I bought a slot. It’s mind boggling. I didn’t ever think it would happen.”
Brooks, who owns Painted Springs Farm in Nashville, Tenn., raised Smash Mouse, as well as his sire, Cat A Rey, by Dual Rey. Smash Mouse’s dam, Boonbay Smash, by Peptoboonsmal, was shown by Brad Mitchell to earn $125,510 and was a finalist in the 2005 NCHA Derby.
“”It’s ironic to me because I never showed Boonbay Smash or Cat A Rey, but now I think I can show one of her babies, so it’s super fun,” said Brooks. “He seems to like it. The more he got shown the better he did. He handled everything beautifully and didn’t struggle with anything. He let me help him a couple of times, but otherwise I was just trying to stay out of his way.”
Brooks, who has served as president of NCHA, earned her first check in limited age event competition in 1999 and has been a finalist in the NCHA Amateur and Non-Pro Super Stakes, Super Stakes Classic, NCHA Derby and Classic Challenge, as well as the NCHA Futurity. Cat A Rey was a 2009 NCHA Futurity Open finalist under Mitchell; Smash Mouse is from his second crop of foals.
Reserve champion Carol Ward, Rancho Murieta, Calif., was aboard Lil Lou Rey, by Dual Rey, out of Lil Dulce Lu LTE $224,621, a Dulces Smart Lena daughter also bred and shown by Ward, as was her dam, Miss Haulin Hickory.
Third-placed Tim May, Saltillo, Miss., showed PRF Reys Ruler, by Dual Rey. May is a many times NCHA Super Stakes and NCHA Derby Non-Pro finalist, most recently on Buzzted LTE $175,212 and Chief Red Warrior $52,598.