Jim and Mary Jo Milner, Southlake, Tex., paid a record $230,000 for 6-year-old cutting horse gelding Smooth Asa Zee, to top the Slate River Ranch Production Sale, produced by Western Bloodstock on Friday, October 14, at the ranch in Weatherford, Tex. It was the highest price ever paid for a cutting horse gelding at auction. The previous high price was $150,000 for Cats Summertime, also at one time owned by the Milners, at the 2003 NCHA Futurity Sale.

The second-highest Slate River seller, at $150,000, was 2-year-old stallion Play Brow Cat, by High Brow Cat, purchased by John Mitchell, former resident trainer and manager of Slate River. Mitchell showed the colt’s dam, Play Miss, as reserve champion of the 2007 NCHA Derby and champion of the 2008 Tunica Classic.

All 36 of the cataloged horses, including 20 geldings, sold for a total of $630,800, with an average of $17,522. Three-year-old Spin N Cats, by High Brow Cat, was the high-selling mare at $32,000, with a winning bid from Jan Moles, New Ulm, Tex.

Smooth Asa Zee, by Smooth As A Cat, earned $253,339 under John Mitchell and Slate River Ranch owner Glade Knight, and stands to increase that amount substantially under Mary Jo Milner, with six NCHA World Non-Pro championships; seven reserve championships; and more than $2.1 million earnings.

Other famous Milner-owned and shown geldings have included cutting’s all-time leading money earner Red White And Boon ($882,498); Playboys Kid ($316,001); Show Biz Ben ($289,943); and Kingstream ($289,943).