Nothing To Lose with 221 points scored under Tate Bennett on Monday, still leads open first go-round contenders, after four days of Open competition and with two days remaining at the NCHA Futurity in Fort Worth.
Meanwhile, PDF Badgers Goldmine, owned by Tag and Natalie Rice, Crowley, Tex., scored 219 points under Tag to top Wednesday’s action and tie the previous days’ contenders Cats Me If Ya Can with Tom Shelly; Manytimes under Phil Rapp; and Pippis Longstocking with Tom Dvorak.
“He’s been working good and feels ready,” said Rice, who won the 2002 NCHA Futurity, as well as the Triple Crown on Chiquita Pistol.
“I’m more comfortable with him than I’ve been with a horse up here at the Futurity in a few years. That makes it nice.
“He’s smart and low-moving and real efficient with the way he does things, and he’s held up physically, which is a big part of this.”
Rice, who had ridden PRF Badgers Goldmine’s mother and full brother, purchased the Reys Dual Badger colt as a yearling for $6,500, at the NCHA Futurity Sale.
“His mother was strong and quick and could have been really good, if she hadn’t gotten crippled,” said Rice of PRF Maderas Lena, by Smart Lil Ricochet.
Rice also qualified for the second go-round with 215.5 points on Chiquita Pepto, a Petoboonsmal daughter out of Chiquita Pistol, LTE $545,001, owned by her breeder, Tooter Dorman, Oakwood, Tex.
“The mare is a little bit green, but we really like her,” said Rice. “She’s more like Chiquita Pistol than any of her other babies. She looks more like her mother and she moves more like her.”
Rice showed Chiquita Pistol’s colts Crown Him Pistol, LTE $95,628 and Chiquita Cat, LTE $43,239, as finalists in the 2008 and 2009 NCHA Futurities, respectively. Chiquita Pepto is the Triple Crown winner’s first daughter to perform.
Banner day for Banuelos brothers
Cookie Banuelos kicked off a streak on Tuesday that saw him and his brother Ascencion place three horses, through Wednesday, as top 20 qualifiers for the second go-round.
Cookie scored 217.5 points with High Savannah Acres, by Abrakadabracre, on Tuesday, then came back yesterday morning to score 217.5 points on One Mean Jose, by CD Olena.
Both horses were catch rides for trainer Grant Setnicka, who showed Mo Faye Rey and Hi Ho Nabisco to qualify with scores of 216.5 and 216 points, respectively.
“Grant and I are good friends and I was very lucky that he asked me to ride them,” said Cookie. “He is such a good hand, and there is a lot of similarity to our programs.
“I had been on the colt (One Mean Jose, owned by Setnicka) one time before today. But he feels very secure and comfortable and he has such a beautiful style and is so easy to ride.”
Ascencion Banuelos scored 217.5 points yesterday on SFR Magic Doll, bred and owned by Mike East, Sarita, Tex.
“This mare had her first saddle in September of her two-year-old year,” said Banuelos. “She was started on the Santa Fe Ranch and I brought her home with me after the Super Stakes this year.
“She’s a super smart cow horse.”
SFR Magic Doll, by Abrakadabracre, is out of MH Oh Cay With Moves, LTE $75,460, by Movin On Hickory, who East showed as a non-pro finalist in the Million Heir Classic and the NCHA Super Stakes.
In addition to Ascencion and Cookie Banuelos, Tim McCloud, riding Peptos Lil Acre, by Sweet Lil Pepto, for J.B. and Patricia Davis, Buffalo, Tex., and Kevin Walden, on Smoothness, by Smooth As A Cat, for Jerry Yelverton, Russellville, Ark., also scored 217.5 points on Wedneday.