Sean Flynn and Cat Man Blue, by High Brow Cat, marked 225 Saturday night for a popular win in the XTO Energy NCHA Super Stakes Classic. Matt Gaines, riding Bob Kingsley’s Little Pepto Cat, also by High Brow Cat, took the reserve championship with 222 points.

Bred by Jim Vangilder, Cat Man Blue is out of Quintan Blue, an earner of $594,000. His same-age full sibling, Blue One Time, marked 220 with Clint Allen in the Super Stakes Classic to place fourth.

J.C. and Sally Mitchell bought Cat Man Blue as a 2-year-old for $210,000 at Vangilder’s Rock Creek Ranch dispersal in 2009. Apart from the horse’s pedigree, Sally Mitchell was taken by Cat Man Blue’s freckles.

He’s the first horse Flynn has ridden by the Mitchells’ Lazy M Cattle Company of Forney, Texas, and he’s their first limited age event winner.

Cat Man Blue had earned $50,000 on his way to the Super Stakes Classic, but major wins had eluded him.

“He’s been a great horse ever since I’ve had him,” Flynn said. “I’ve just had a lot of bad luck with him. Every time I’ve walked down there, I’ve felt like he could win. He’s by far the smartest horse I’ve ever ridden. He’s cow smart and fast and strong.”

Flynn, a frequent finalist in NCHA Triple Crown events, and a hard-working helper for other riders, was notching up his first win in Will Rogers Coliseum. He has career earnings over $1.6 million.

Reserve champion Little Pepto Cat is a son of 2002 NCHA Horse of the Year Little Pepto Gal. Breeder Bob Kingsley will show him in Sunday’s Limited Non-Pro finals, and he is also the top qualifier for Tuesday’s Non-Pro finals.

One Time Royalty, the 2010 NCHA Futurity Champion by One Time Pepto, marked 220.5 to place third under Lloyd Cox for Susan Marchant of Australia.

Read more in the NCHA Daily Chatter, presented by the David McDavid Family.

XTO Energy NCHA Super Stakes & Classic results.