CR Smart Boots, ridden by Boyd Rice. Hart Photography.
CR Smart Boots LTE $185,370, by Boon Too Suen, and Boyd Rice won the Open second go-round with 221.5 points; Hott Nu Cowboy LTE $38,393 sired by Hottish and ridden by Sean Flynn, and The Animal LTE $169,633, sired by Cat Ichi and shown by Lee Francois, tied for second with 220.5 points.
Owned by Sarco Creek Ranch, Victoria, Tex., CR Smart Boots was bred by Center Ranch out of CR Smart Lil Kitty, an unshown full sister to Thomas E Hughes LTE $393,045. Ty Brown showed the gelding to place fourth in the 2017 NCHA Futurity Open and third in the Open Limited. Boyd Rice has shown the gelding in three 2018 major events, including the Breeders Invitational, where they placed third with 222 points.
Rice won the NCHA Derby for two consecutive years: in 2008 with 224 points on Peptos Stylish Sue LTE $226,056, and in 2009 with 228.5 points on Third Cutting LTE $528,268.
Catillac Reys LTE $63,764 scored 224 in the last set of the first go-round of the NCHA/Metallic Cat Summer Spectacular Open Derby to win the round under Adan Banuelos. Yesterday, in the second-go-round, Banuelos and the Metallic Cat gelding added 218.5 points to their tally to advance to Friday’s Open Semi-Finals with 442.5 points, the high cumulative score where 37 horses with cumulative of 434.5 or higher qualified for the Semi-Finals. Reystylin Smooth LTE $21,768 and Justin Chalmers, second in the first go-round with 223 points, earned 440.5 points, the second-highest cumulative score.
Catillac Reys was bred by Michelle Cannon, by Metallic Cat out of Brazos Bash champion Tootsie Rey, an earner of $200,876. The gelding is owned by Todd and Elizabeth Quirk’s Ten/27 Ranch, and was Non-Pro reserve champion at the Ike Hamilton Futurity this spring with Elizabeth.
Sean Flynn, who tied with the second-go-round’s second highest score on Hott Nu Cowboy also showed Cool N Hot LTE $231,699, by Hottish, to tie Rice and CR Smart Boots with 439 points, the third-highest cumulative score.
The 2018 NCHA/Metallic Cat Summer Cutting Spectacular continues daily through Aug. 5th. For live webcast and live scoring go to NCHAcutting.com.