NCHA Futurity finalist Cats Quixote Jack, ridden by Kory Pounds (pictured), claimed the Bonanza Cutting 4-year-old championship by a wide margin over co-reserve champions CD Peptofilly and Starcat Merada. Owned by for Andy and Karen Beckstein, Uniondale, IN, the High Brow Cat son scored 224.5 points for $25,000. The win boosts his earnings to $70,924.43.
It was the first major unrestricted title for Pounds, who won the NCHA Super Stakes Limited Open on Double Durn Smart in 2004. He also placed third in the 4-year-old Bonanza in 2004 aboard Haidas Tachita, and earned $63,978 as a finalist in the 2006 NCHA Super Stakes riding A Special Color. In addition to his 22nd-place finish in the NCHA Futurity, Cats Quixote Jack was also a finalist in the 2006 South Point Cutting in Las Vegas.
Mark Pearson, Spearman, TX, and Skip Queen, Lipan, TX, shared the Non-Pro 4-year-old championship title with matching 218-point scores in the finals. Pearson rode Clifford Rey, by Dual Rey; Queen, who ranked third among non-pro money earners in 2006, was aboard Dual Badge, by Playboys Badge. Queen also placed sixth on Bronzed Feather, by Cats Red Feather.
Im Countin Checks, most recently reserve champion of the South Point Cutting, captured the Bonanza 5 & 6-year-old title with 222 points under Matt Gaines. Im Countin Checks was sired by Smart Lil Ricochet, the 13-year-old stallion who was euthanized on February 28, 2007, as the result of a long-standing injury. Im Countin Checks is owned by Tommy Manion, who also owned and bred Smart Lil Ricochet, who was sired by cutting’s all-time leading sire Smart Little Lena. Smart Little Lena, owned by a syndicate that includes Manion, stands at Manion’s ranch in Aubrey, Texas.
Paula Wood, Stephenville, TX, scored 223 points on Donas Cool Cat to win the 5 & 6-year-old Bonanza Non-Pro. Mary Ann Rapp, Weatherford, Texas, placed second with 222 points on Reytilda and split fourth and fifth on Lil Lena Long Legs.