sallyharrison.com Oreyginal Gangsta, owned by Pat and Lisa Taylor, Pilot Point, Tex., was the high-scoring entry, with 222 points under Ascencion Banuelos,  on Saturday, the third of five days in the first go-round of Open competition at the 2019 NCHA Futurity in Fort Worth, Texas.

Texas Tuxxedo and R.L. Chartier marked 221 points, the day’s second-highest score. Metallic Rey Mink, who scored 225 under Gary Bellenfant on Friday, is the current go-round leader, while Sly Criminal, shown by Tatum Rice to score 223 points on the first day, ranks second.

Sired by Dual Reys Playmate and bred by Holmes & Hill, Oreyginal Gangsta is out of Cat Mom Do LTE $199,423, which makes him a three-quarter brother to 4-year-old Very Reytro LTE $66,548, last year’s NCHA Futurity Non-Pro reserve champion with Lindy Ashlock. Cat Mom Do is one of 11 money earners of $1,283,210, with an average of $116,665, out of Moms Stylish Babe.

Ascencion Banuelos, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of $2,259,431, is a many-times NCHA Futurity Finalist, including 2001, when he showed two finalists, Angels Little Gunner and Nitro Dual Doc. Last year, Banuelos won the Futurity Open Senior division riding Slooow Ride, also owned by the Taylors. Banuelos’s first time to show in the NCHA Futurity Open Finals was in 1986, when he placed 12th riding Right On Flo for Chester Farms, Weatherford, Tex.

Texas Tuxxedo is owned by Thomas and Deborah Herold, West Point, Iowa. Sired by Once In A Blu Boon, the red roan stallion is out of the High Brow Cat daughter Lil Puma, whose maternal granddam, Easters Little Lena, is a three-quarter sister to Sweet Little CD, dam of High Brow CD, 2007 NCHA Futurity champion and sire of the earners of more than $9.5 million. Easters Little Lena is also half-sister to Sweet Lil Pepto LTE $219,595, sire of earners of over $4.7 million.

NCHA Hall of Fame rider R.L. Chartier made his first year to qualify for the NCHA Open Futurity Finals – 2008 – count, with fourth- and fifth-place finishes worth a total of $243,300, aboard Hay Maker, owned by Scott Cusick, and Pretty Katz, owned by Wrigley Ranches. Chartier also tallied another $39,822 as winner of the Open Ltd with Haymaker, and fourth-placed Ltd finalist on Pretty Katz.

In 2016, Chartier showed A Little Bossy LTE $403,677, by CD Lights, to win the 2012 NCHA World Championship Finals, and in 2016 as NCHA Open World Champion and World Champion Gelding.

Four horses tied with 219 points on Saturday, the day’s third-highest score.  Kenny Platt showed Dr Sueish, by Hottish, for Robert Tregemba, Lawrence, Kan. Dr Sueish’s dam, Sues So Smart, is a half-sister to Meradas Little Sue LTE $670,098, 1996 NCHA Open Horse of the Year, as well as a 3-times NCHA Open World Champion and a leading producer of money earners, including Boon Too Suen LTE $250,368, sire of earners of over $2.2 million.

Stole A Kiss, shown by James Payne for Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla., also scored 219 points. The Metallic Cat daughter is out Smart Lookin Mate, by WR This Cats Smart.

Ahhh Honey Honey, also with 219 points, is shown by Ty Brown for William and Billie Aylesworth,  Lipan, Tex.  The Hottish daughter, out of Outreygeous Style, by Dual Rey, is half-sister to 5-year-old money earner Ahhh Sugar Sugar, by Kit Kat Sugar.

Pound Sign, owned and bred by Jim Haworth, South West City, Mo., scored 219 points with Cara Brewer, who showed the Metallic Cat colt’s dam, Dual Rey Tag, as a 2009 NCHA Futurity Open Semi-Finalist, as well as Dual Rey Tag’s dam, Playin Tag LTE $220,949, to win the 2004 NCHA Super Stakes.

Pound Sign is a full brother to Hashtags LTE $476,725, 2018 NCHA Open World Champion and 2017 NCHA Super Stakes Open champion with Tatum Rice.