Grandpaws Playgirl takes open championship
Grandpaws Playgirl and Brett Davis came off of a 220-point win in the second go-round of the Augusta Classic to claim the open championship with 223 points on Thursday, January 29, in Augusta, GA.
Keechi Pep, ridden by Matt Gaines for Billy Martin, was reserve to Grandpaws Playgirl with 219 points. High Brow CD, last year’s Augusta Futurity co-champion, 2008 NCHA Horse of the Year, and this year’s Classic first go-round winner with 225 points, finished eighth with 214 points, under Austin Shepard.
Davis had to make up ground in the second go-round to cover his 212 point score from the first. “I couldn’t take any chances and mess up,” said Davis, who rides 5-year-old Grandpaws Playgirl, by Wise Play, for her breeder, Leon Lewis, Carthage, TX.
The $29,312 prize was the biggest of Grandpaws Playgirl’s career. Last year, also under Davis, she placed eighth in the Music City Futurity, and was a finalist in the Tunica and the Southern Futurities.
This was the first Augusta championship win for Davis, 46, who has twice earned a reserve title there – in 1992 on Playboys Remedy and in 1994 on Smokes Two D Two.
Elizabeth Queen wins third title
Elizabeth Queen had both barrels loaded in the Non-Pro Classic. Her mounts, Bubble Gum, who carried her to win last year’s Augusta Non-Pro Futurity, and Jazzy Touche, also a 2008 finalist, had qualified among the go-round leaders coming into last night’s finals. But it was Jazzy Touche who carried Queen for a 223-point victory and the $17,910 winner’s check.
Mike Bowman took reserve with 218 points on San Tule Uno, the 2008 Augusta Futurity Amateur champion under Mike’s wife, Libby Bowman. George Moore placed third riding BSR Cat.
Sired by Smart Lil Ricochet, 5-year-old Jazzy Touche was bred by Jerry Sharp, Seymour, TN, and made her 2008 debut as a finalist with Queen in the Abilene Spectacular. She finished fifth in the 2008 Augusta Futurity Non-Pro; was third in the 2008 Cotton Stakes Non-Pro; and early this year, was a non-pro finalist in the Abilene Spectacular Classic.
In addition to her wins with Bubble Gum and Jazzy Touche, Queen also captured the non-pro championship of the 1998 Augusta Futurity.
Click here for complete results and breeding of 2009 Augusta Classic finalists.