Brad Mitchell made history on Thursday, when he became the first rider to win three divisions of the Music City Cutting Horse Futurity in the same year. Although it is unconfirmed, he is also believed to be the only rider to ever win the 3-year-old, 4-year-old and 5/6-year-old titles at the same (year) major event.
On Wednesday, Mitchell claimed the Music City Futurity and Classic on Teletrona and Hickory Lena Star, respectively. Yesterday, he took the Derby with 4-year-old Nurse Nellie. Mitchell owns Hickory Lena Star in partnership with Barbara Brooks, and Teletrona and Nurse Nellie are owned by Brooks and her husband, Kix, under the name of their cutting horse operation, Painted Springs Farms, outside of Nashville.
“The week started pretty slow and ended pretty strong,” said Mitchell, who earned a total of more than $50,000. He made it to the finals on the bubble with Hickory Lena Star; and scored 212 in the first round on Nurse Nellie.
“I drew up last in a set in the first go-round on Nurse Nellie,” Mitchell noted. “My first cow was spectacular, but the second cow ran out to the judges and it was a mess.”
Nurse Nellie scored 217.5 in the second go-round and marked 221 in the finals to beat co-reserve champions Red Money Merada, ridden by Austin Shepard, and Autumn Acre, with Phil Rapp, by one and a-half points.