2018 Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes – March 29, 2018 – Fort Worth, Tex.
If the first day of the 2018 Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes is an indicator, the next 24 days will rival the best. Hashtags, the leading 4-year-old money earner in 2017, leading 5/6-year-old money earner in 2018, and champion of the 2017 NCHA Super Stakes, shown by Tatum Rice, took the lead with 222 points in the first set of the Super Stakes Classic.
In the next two of the day’s seven sets, CR Gotcha Covered and Tarin Rice scored 221.5 points, while 2016 NCHA Futurity champion Second Spot, with Lloyd Cox, and Somethingtobelievein, with Brett McGlothlin, each claimed 221 points.
Ichis My Choice, 2016 NCHA Open Horse of the Year, and Grant Setnicka posted 219.5 points, the day’s fourth highest score, in the sixth set, and between sets two through seven, seven additional horses earned 219 points.
Hashtags, a 5-year-old blue roan stallion sired by Metallic Cat and owned by Hashtag Vetures, Weatherford, Tex., earned his first paycheck as a finalist (8th place) in the 2016 NCHA Futurity. Since then he has banked more than $203,647, for a total of $282,983. Thus far in 2018, he has placed in the finals of three limited age events, which include the open win of the Bonanza Classic and the reserve championship of the Augusta Futurity Classic.
Tatum Rice, who has shown Hashtags throughout the stallion’s career, earned his first big paycheck as third-place finalist aboard Johnny Reyngo in the 2013 NCHA Futurity Open, and placed fourth in the 2010 NCHA NCHA Derby on Shes Twice As Smooth. Thirty-two-year old Rice is the NCHA earner of $1,730,602.
Six-year-old CR Gotcha Covered, owned by Joel and Jayne Colgrove and sired by Dualin Boone, made his debut as a finalist (11th place) in the 2015 NCHA Futurity with Tarin Rice. Since then, he has placed in nine major events and has NCHA career earnings of $156,434.
Tarin Rice, 29, Tatum’s brother, won the 2012 NCHA Futurity aboard He Bea Cat and the 2014 NCHA Derby with Miss Callie Cat. Rice, who has earned $1,954,738, earned his first major check at 18, as non-pro champion of the 2007 MillionHeir Classic on MH Willing To Cut.
Second Spot, a 5-year-old mare sired by Spots Hot and bred and owned by Gary and Shannon Barker, Madill, Okla., won the 2016 NCHA Futurity under Matt Gaines. As a 4 and 5-year-old under Cox, she has been a finalist in five major events, including as reserve champion of the 2017 Cotton Stakes, and a finalist in the 2017 Abilene Spectacular 5/6 Open and the Ike Hamilton Futurity 5/6 Classic.
Somethingtobelievein, a 5-year-old mare sired by Hydrive Cat, was bred by Brett McGlothin and his wife, Jody. Jody won the 2016 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Limited on Somethingtobelievein and together she and Brett have shown their mare to earn $128,479.
The NCHA Super Stakes and Super Stakes Classic continues through April 22. For daily live action and results go to nchacutting.com/events/triple-crown/superstakes