Matt Gaines, winner of the 2001 NCHA Super Stakes with Sunettes Dually, and the 2005 edition on One Time Pepto, leads this year’s go-round competition after the first day of round 2 with a cumulative score of 437.5 points on Special Nu Baby, owned by Gary and Shannon Barker, Madill, OK.

Gaines also earned the fourth-highest cumulative of 434 points aboard Little Pepto Cat, owned by Bob Kingsley, Weatherford, TX., and shows A Smooth Criminal today, for Roxanne Koepsell.

“She’s a lot like her mother,” said Gaines of Dual Rey daughter Special Nu Kitty, who is out of Nu I Wood, winner of over $400,000 and four major limited age events, including the 2003 NCHA Super Stakes Classic.

Gaines trained and showed Nu I Wood throughout her career, as he did Little Pepto Gal, the dam of Little Pepto Cat, by High Brow Cat.

Little Pepto Gal, 2002 NCHA Horse of the Year, six-times major champion, and earner of $502,000, is owned by Kingsley, the breeder of Little Pepto Cat.

Short Of Reymarkable

“She’s something else,” said David Stewart of Short Of Reymarkable, who he rides for Robert Turner, Midland, TX.

The Dual Rey daughter ranks second among Super Stakes Open contenders with a cumulative score of 435 points (218.5/216.5). She was also reserve champion of the Abilene Spectacular in January.

Two horses are currently tied with cumulative scores of 434.5 points: Senorita Spoon, ridden by Shannon Hall, and Somekindapurrfect, with Allen Crouch.

Senorita Spoon, owned by Billy Emerson, is sired by Hes A Peptospoonful; Somekindapurrfect, owned by Southern Cattle Company, is by High Brow Cat.

Crouch and Hall are also among leading contenders with Dual Catolena and Stylish Lizzie, respectively.

Dual Catolena, with a 432 cumulative, is owned by Tim Brewer; Stylish Lizzie, with 431, belongs to Tim and Missie Drummond.

Mapping the Super Stakes Entries