Lloyd Cox, who topped the first day of 2009 Borden Milk NCHA Futurity Open competition with 221.5 points on Little Jazzarey, opened the 2010 event with 216 points aboard One Time Royalty for Matthews Cutting Horses. One Time Royalty’s score put him among the top 14 horses of the day, but it was Sly Playgirl, ridden by Jaime Snider in the seventh set that set the bar with 219.5 points.

“It’s nice to get that over with,” said Snider, who drew fourth to work on the That Sly Cat daughter, owned by Robert Borick.

Snider purchased Sly Playgirl last May from Slate River Ranch, the owner of her sire and her dam, Taquitas Playgirl. Ashley Snider, Jaime’s wife, had won the 2009 NCHA Futurity Limited Non-Pro aboard Bobs A Player, a half-brother, by Bobs Freckle, to Sly Playgirl and the only other performer out of Taquitas Playgirl.

“She’s a lot like her brother in that when they come to town, they kind of ante up,” said Snider. “But she’s a little stronger.”

Snider is also showing Sly Chance, sired by That Sly Cat, on Wednesday. “They’re the only two (That Sly Cat offspring) that I’ve ridden and I like them both,” he said. “We bought the other one as a yearling and have owned him the whole time. He had to have colic surgery this summer, but hopefully he’ll be ready.”

Woodys Wildest Cat

Darren Simpkins wasn’t rattled with his draw on Woodys Wildest Cat, the last horse in the third set.

“The first go-round of the Futurity there are generally a lot of scratches and extra cattle left,” said Simpkins, who scored 219 points in a set where five horses lost cattle.

Simpkins is showing Woodys Wildest Cat, by High Brow Cat, as catch-rider for Clint Allen, who trained the horse for Rick Ford’s Cinder Lakes Ranch, Valley View, TX.

“All the credit goes to Clint,” said Simpkins. “I just had to show up with my chaps and jump on.”

“He’s been one of my top three horses all along,” said Allen, who tied for ninth place in the 2009 NCHA Futurity aboard Jerry and Vickie Durant’s colt Stilish Rey.

Woodys Wildest Cat, who was gelded this past summer, is out of Miss Echo Wood and a full brother to Miss Woody Two Shoes and Wild Haired Cat, each of whom earned more than $135,000; and three-quarter brother to Little Belly Dancer ,with over $90,000.

Simpkins, who placed third in the 2007 NCHA Futurity aboard June Bug Dually, will become resident trainer and manager of Glade Knight’s Slate River Ranch in January, as John Mitchell, who held the position for 14 years, ventures out on his own.

“I chose to go and test myself,” said Mitchell. “But it’s like leaving Dad — Glade is like my other dad.”

Fittingly, it was Simpkins who introduced Mitchell, a fellow native Australian, to Richmond, Virginia-based businessman Knight.

“Fifteen years ago, Glade wanted to hire me, but I’d just started my own business and wanted to pursue that,” said Simpkins. “So I recommended John and it’s been an incredible relationship that they’ve had.

“When John decided to start a new venture, Glade came to me and said, ‘Well, I tried to hire you fifteen years ago and you wouldn’t come to work for me. I want to try one more time.’ “I am really looking forward to the move.”

Meanwhile, Mitchell, who will continue to show some horses for Knight, scored 216 points yesterday on Slate River-bred and owned Bunnies Boon, by Mr Boonsmal To You, who stands at Slate River, along with That Sly Cat.

“That was a great horse, but he tore a hind suspensory,” said Mitchell of Mr Boonsmal To You. “I asked Glade to keep him and let me breed some mares to him and he went with me. This is his second crop and we’ve got three good horses in the Futurity this year.”

Peptos Sand Dancer

Peptos Sand Dancer and Brad Mitchell scored 219 points deep in yesterday’s fourth set.

“The cows weren’t real hard, but she’s so intent on a cow,” said Mitchell, who was a finalist in the 2009 NCHA Futurity riding Cat A Rey for Barbara and Kix Brooks’ Painted Springs Farm, which owns Peptos Sand Dancer, as well.

“The biggest thing is that she’s so smart on a cow. She’s always with it – through the turns and the stops. She’s always watching.

“The only thing is that she’s a little scared of the cattle,” he added. “Going into a big herd, I was concerned whether I’d be able to get her up there or not.

“But she’s gotten a whole lot better. When we first started training her, if you got fifteen feet within the cows behind you, she’d quit paying attention to the one in front of her and watch the seven behind her.”

Mitchell and Barbara Brooks purchased Peptos Sand Dancer, by Peptoboonsmal, as a yearling at the NCHA Futurity Sales.

“Barb and I really liked her mom,” said Mitchell. “They had (Peptos Sand Dancer) bid up to $25,000 and called it out because she had a little scar above her coronet band. The bidding went back to $20,000 and we ended up getting her for $22,000.

“Every day that we work her, I think of that. She’s been really fun to train.”

Dances With Sand, Peptos Sand Dancer’s dam, was 2002 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro reserve champion and Non-Pro Limited reserve champion under Bruce Lusk.

The show continues in Fort Worth, Texas through December 11.