The stage is set for an exciting afternoon on Saturday, April 6, with the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes Classic Open Finals at 1:00 p.m., followed by the Super Stakes 4-Year-Old Open Finals.
On Friday, April 5, Hiss N Vinegar and Phil Hanson topped the Open Semi-Finals with 220 points to lead 21 horses with scores of 217 points or higher to the Super Stakes Open Finals. Khaleesi Kat and Cody Green were second with 219.5, while five horses tied with 219 points, the third-highest score of the day.
Hiss N Vinegar LTE $77,433, sired by Dual Smart Rey and owned by Jeffrey and Jennifer Foland, Weatherford, Tex., qualified for the Super Stakes Open Semi-Finals with 437 points (219 and 218). She was shown previously by Phil Hanson to place seventh in the NCHA Futurity and as a finalist in the 2019 Arbuckle Mountain Futurity.
Hissy Cat $307,099, Hiss N Vinegar’s dam, was shown by Darren Simpkins to place fourth in the 2007 NCHA Super Stakes Open and was also a consistent limited age event finalist with Jennifer Foland, who showed her to win the 2008 NCHA Classic Challenge Amateur championship. Hissy Cat is the dam of NCHA earners of $932,163, including Hiss N Vinegar’s three-quarter siblings Johnny Reyngo LTE $195,280; Hisstereya LTE $131,280, who carried Jennifer to place sixth in the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro; and Dureyngo Kid LTE $114,826, third-placed 2013 NCHA Futurity Open finalist under Tatum Rice.
Khaleesi Kat LTE $50,927, was purchased by Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla., for $80,000 from breeder Ten 27 Ranch at the 2017 Western Bloodstock NCHA Futurity Sales. Moore qualified for the NCHA Futurity Non-Pro finals with her, and Cody Ryan Green rode her in the Limited Open finals at the Futurity. Cody Green rode her to qualify for the Open Semi-Finals on the bubble, with 433 points.
Khaleesi Kat is by Bet Hesa Cat out of KD Shorty, a Kit Dual mare that won the Breeder’s Invitiational with Austin Shepard, and which has produced earners of more than $767,000.
Badboonarising LTE $173,591, shown by Adan Banuelos for Plantation Farms, Denham Springs, La., was one of the five horses, and the richest, to tie with 219 points in the Open Semi-Finals. Banuelos and the Once In A Blu Boon son scored 221 points to claim the NCHA Futurity Open reserve championship and placed fifth in the Bonanza Derby, in March.
Adan Banuelos also qualified for Saturday’s finals with 217 points showing Dressrdin Smartstyle LTE $48,111, sired by Dual Smart Rey and owned by Brumbaugh Ranches, Aledo, Tex.
Sueper Trooper LTE $51,777, shown by Grant Setnicka for J Five Horse Ranch Management LLC, Weatherford, Tex., also scored 219 points. The Dual Smart Rey stallion is out of Ichis My Choice LTE $418,693, the 2014 NCHA Open Horse of the Year and 2016 NCHA Super Stakes reserve champion, shown by Grant Setnicka for J Five Ranch.
Setnicka also showed Ristos Fair Cat LTE $2,275 to qualify for Saturday’s finals with 219 points. Sired by High Brow Cat, Ristos Fair Cat, owned by Ristos Fair Cat Partnership, Grandview, Tex., is out of Ristos Fair Lady LTE $107,436, winner of the 2007 NCHA Super Stakes and NCHA Derby Open Limited Finals, and reserve champion of the 2007 Open Breeders Invitational.
Stylish Hailee LTE $41,832, owned by Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla., qualified with 219 points under James Payne. At three, the Halreycious daughter won the Southern Futurity, the West Texas Futurity and the Cotton Stakes Futurity with Payne, who also qualified for the Super Stakes with 217.5 points riding Summer Time Fun LTE $10,357, by Metallic Cat, for Ty Moore, Madill, Okla.
Kats In My Daiseys LTE$12,074, by Kit Kat Sugar, owned by Jason Clark Cutting Horses LLC, Stephenville, Tex., also qualified for the Super Stakes Finals with 219 points. Bred by Lonnie and Barbara Allsup, owners of Kit Kat Sugar, the official sponsor of the NCHA Super Stakes, Kats In My Daiseys was shown by Clark as an NCHA Futurity Semi-Finalist.