Veteran Hall of Fame Rider Ronnie Rice teamed up with a horse looking for its first limited age paycheck Saturday for the top score in the first day of Round 2 competition at the Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes in Fort Worth.

Rice rode Stephen Bergeron’s homebred gelding, SB Fuzzie Cat, to mark 222, the day’s best score from 84 contestants.

Clint Allen marked 217.5 on David and Stacie McDavid’s Pharoah And James for the top cumulative score of 438.

SB Fuzzie Cat is by WR This Cats Smart out of Teles Playin Girl. The 4-year-old gelding’s second dam, Lintons Playgirl, produced earners of $496,000, including Stylish Playlin (LTE $181,525) and Its All Play For Rey ($112,339). Lintons Playgirl is half-sister to $5 million sire Zack T Wood.

Rice is a three-time NCHA Futurity champion and two-time NCHA Super Stakes reserve champion. His 222 on SB Fuzzie Cat, combined with a first-round 214, made him one of six contestants with a cumulative score of 436 or better.

Pharoah And James has already earned over $36,000, with a third-place at the Bonanza, and as an Ike Hamilton finalist and NCHA Futurity semi-finalist. The McDavids bred him by their stallion Hickorys Indian Pep out of Wise Little Miss, winner of the Brazos Bash Classic and the Chisholm Trail Fall Roundup.

Other cumulative leaders after the first day of the second round included:

Metallic D Nero 437.5 ridden by Cullen Charter for Italy’s Damiano Avigni. The Metallic Cat x Cinderella Starlight gelding was an Amateur finalist earlier in the show and an Amateur and Unlimited Amateur finalist at the NCHA Futurity.

Sir Long Legs 437.5 ridden by Austin Shepard for Lew Hall of Highland City, Florida. He’s by High Brow Cat out of Lil Lena Long Legs. The NCHA Futurity reserve champion was also a finalist at Augusta and The Ike, earning more than $206,000.

Cats To Smart 436 ridden by Kory Pounds for Xavier Rodriguez of Miami, Florida. The Just Playin Smart x Smart Cat Moria mare was a Super Stakes Amateur finalist with Rodriguez, and was an Abilene Spectacular finalist with T J Good, earning more than $10,000.

Peepaboo 436 ridden by Matt Gaines for Alexa Stent of Aledo, Tex. Stent’s homebred mare by Docs Stylish Oak out of Little Bow Peepto was an NCHA Futurity semi-finalist, and a finalist at The Ike, earning more than $23,000 so far.