College student Cole Rothwell maintained his lead from Sunday’s action to win the Super Stakes Non-Pro first round with 218 points on Pepto Solution. James Hooper, Decatur, AL, topped Monday’s competition with 216.5 points aboard Cats Hitman.
“I sat on him one time before today,” said Hooper, who purchased Cats Hitman at two from Painted Springs Farm, at the NCHA Futurity Sales. “I’d never even loped him.”
Following his purchase, Hooper put the High Brow Cat son, out of Smart Lil Addition, by Smart Aristocrat, in the hands of top trainer Austin Shepard. The colt had been started by Brad Mitchell, who also trained Hickabilly Deluxe, ridden by Painted Springs Farm owner Barbara Brooks, as one of yesterday’s leaders with 214.5 points.
“He’s a lot of fun,” said Hooper, a former president of NCHA. “When he stops, he takes you all the way to the bottom of it.” Shepard showed Cats Hitman as a finalist (11th) in the NCHA Futurity, as well as the Augusta Futurity (16th).
“Austin is like a second son to me,” said Hooper. It was Hooper who lent a then 10-year-old Austin the first horse that he rode to earn a check in NCHA competition. Hooper also has ties to last week’s Super Stakes Classic Amateur champion, Gene Quirk, through Playin In The Mall, Quirk’s winning mount. Hooper purchased the major money earner last summer from James Vangilder and recently sold the gelding to Quirk.
“We wanted to keep him,” said Hooper, who had been approached previously about selling Playin At The Mall. “At first I said no, when I was asked about selling him, but then I thought, we have two others that haven’t won as much, so I sold the one that people wanted to buy.”
Hooper won the 2009 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Senior division riding Dees Dualin Kitten.
Triple play
Megan Miller on Falcon Feather; Brad Wilson with Coontail Cougar; and Tom Deregt aboard Peptos Opus Cat, all marked 215 points, which was yesterday’s second-highest score. Miller, 2009 Super Stakes Non-Pro champion on Itawtathenapuddycat, also earned 214.5 points aboard Starlight Scootie.
“These cattle were tough,” said Miller of her run with Starlight Scootie, by Smart Lil Scoot. “I’m glad I survived out there.”
Miller won the Tunica Non-Pro Futurity with Starlight Scootie and her husband, trainer Matt Miller, showed Falcon Feather as sixth-placed finalist in the 2009 NCHA Futurity Open Gelding division.
Brad Wilson’s Coontail Cougar is a full-sister to Rose Colored Cat, by High Brow Cougar out of Haidas Lil Rose, that Wilson showed as third-placed finalist in the 2008 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity.
“She loves her job,” said Wilson of Coontail Cougar, who he bred and trained, as he did Rose Colored Cat, “with a little expertise from (trainer) Jody Galyean.”
“We weren’t even sure we were going to bring her here,” said Tom Deregt, Carmel, CA, of Peptos Opus Cat, a Peptoboonsmal daughter, trained by Richard Anderson. “She was a little slow developing and I just showed her in two small futurities. So she’s had a limited show career.”
Deregt placed fourth in the 2006 Super Stakes Ltd. riding Mesoke.