Better late and forget the never. Special Nu Kitty, ridden by R.L. Chartier for Wrigley Ranches, won the Classic Challenge second go-round yesterday with 221 points, as the next-to-last horse in the sixth set.

Added to the 219 points she earned as the last horse of her set in the first go-round, the score gave her the top cumulative of 440 points from 23 finalists.

“The cows had been tricky and I got slam-dunked on my first horse in the same bunch,” noted Chartier, one of four riders (three in a row), who lost cows in yesterday’s sixth set. “She’ll go hold anything, so I’m pretty confident riding her.But I hope we get a better draw next time.”

Six-year-old Special Nu Kitty is by High Brow Cat out of Nu I Wood, winner of $427,000 and dam of three $100,000-plus earners, including Special Nu Kitty with $193,000.

Lil Bit Reckless, owned and bred by Russ and Janet Westfall, Los Olivos, CA, and shown by Russ, earned a cumulative of 439.5 from scores of 221 and 218.5, while 2009 NCHA Derby champion Third Cutting and Boyd Rice garnered 438.5 with 219 and 219.5 points.
Rice broke his leg in a fall with another horse just three days after winning the NCHA Super Stakes Classic aboard Third Cutting.

“It changed the way I rode for a little while,” said Rice, whose leg required surgery and the implantation of a metal plate.

“I can do anything I need to now, when I’m on a horse,” Rice added. “It just hurts when I’m walking, especially on cement.”
Third Cutting, owned by Carl and Shawnea Smith, Jacksboro, TX, had been standing to mares at ESMS on the Brazos, while Rice was out of the saddle.

Two weeks ago, Rice and Third Cutting were back in the groove at Oklahoma City with scores of 223 and 224 in the Battle of the Saddle.

“He was dead on,” said Rice of the sorrel stallion’s comeback performance.
Sired by Boonlight Dancer, 5-year-old Third Cutting has career earnings of over $362,000.