Amando Costa Neto, Weatherford, Tex., scored 220 points aboard Watch Me Nae Nae to win the Core Balance PCCHA Derby Non-Pro on Sunday in Las Vegas. Wade Smith, Geary, Okla. was reserve with 219 points on Third Lucinda, while Lindy Ashlock, Abilene, Tex., and Megan Miller, Poolville, Tex., tied for third and fourth with 212 points showing In Reyverse and Olive Martini, respectively.
Costa, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame Inductee with earnings of $1,087,799, also placed fourth in the PCCHA Classic Challenge riding 5-year-old Watch Me Whip LTE $168,074, a full sister to Watch Me Nae Nae. The siblings, both trained by Costa, are by Playgun out of Look The Look, by High Brow Cat.
Costa and Watch Me Nae Nae LTE $43,745 won the 2017 Abilene Spectacular Non-Pro championship and took reserve in the Breeders Invitational Non-Pro division. Watch Me Whip and Costa won the 2015 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro, as well as the non-pro championships of the 2016 NCHA Super Stakes and the NCHA Derby.
Wade Smith, the NCHA earner of $367,452, has been a frequent 2017 limited age event non-pro and amateur (unlimited) finalist. He won the 2017 Bonanza Amateur Unlimited 5/6 Classic on Magistic Moon, who also carried him as reserve champion of the Abilene Spectacular 5/6 Non-Pro and to place third in the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Amateur Unlimited. Smith also won the Abilene Spectacular Futurity Amateur Unlimited riding Metallic Candlelight, his 2016 NCHA Futurity Amateur Unlimited champion.
Third Lucinda LTE $36,934 is sired by Third Cutting and out of Cattylac Jukebox, by Cowboy Cattylac.
Lindy Ashlock, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame rider with more than $1.36 million in earnings, also placed riding Sweet Reyvenge, by Duals Rey Badger, on Saturday in the PCCHA Mercuria Non-Pro Finals. In Reyverse is by Dual Rey and out of Havanna Lights, by CD Lights.
Megan Miller, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame rider with $943,806 in earnings, placed ninth with Olive Martini in the 2017 Bonanza Non-Pro Derby. A Metallic Cat daughter out of Martinis Miss Peppy, Olive Martini is a half-sister to Miss Martini Play, dam of the earners of over $1 million, including NCHA Triple Crown winner Copaspepto LTE $413,885, by Peptoboonsmal and Stylish Martini LTE $361,920, by Docs Stylish Oak.