NCHA News

Augusta Futurity champion Kinky Bootz, bred and owned by Glenn and Debbie Drake, Napa, Calif., and shown by Austin Shepard, scored 228.5 points on Wednesday to claim his second title in 2020, as champion of the 2020 Arbuckle Mountain Futurity. The winner’s payout and bonus added $30,000 to the Dual Rey son’s earnings, which now total $43,536.

Kinky Bootz’s score was an all-time high for the Arbuckle Futurity, topping the 226.5-point record set by Game On Smooth under T.J. Good in 2017. Additionally, Shepard is the first rider to win back-to-back Arbuckle Futurity Open championships; last year he showed Bama Jelly LTE $162,488 for the title. This year, Bama Jelly and Shepard tied for tenth place in the Arbuckle Mountin 5/6 Open Finals.

NCHA Futurity Open reserve champion Twice In Santiago LTE $185,929, bred and owned by Double Dove Ranch, Fort Worth, Tex., scored 226.5 points under Adan Banuelos to claim the Arbuckle Open reserve championship and $25,000. A daughter of Once In A Blu Boon, Twice In Santiago is one of seven earners of $904,634 out of Twice As Reycy LTE $194,141, including the Metallic Cat gelding Pedel To The Metall LTE $249,321, also shown by Banuelos, and Reycy Moon LTE $209,363, by Cats Moonshine.

Countin Hot Checks LTE $34,910, bred and owned by Jamie Hill, Bastrop, Tex., placed third in the Open Finals under Jaime Snider, and also earned the payout as the highest-scoring entry in the 4-Year-Old Open Novice division. The Hottish son, out of Cat Countin Checks LTE $168,987, by Im Countin Checks, previously earned money as an NCHA Futurity Open Semi-Finalist and has current earnings of $34,910.

Metallics MVP lived up to his name in Arbuckle Mountain 5/6 Open Finals

Metallics MVP, shown by Beau Galyean, claimed his turf and title with 228 points, as the first horse to work in the 5/6 Open Finals. His closest challenger was Rollz Royce, also shown by Galyean, who scored 224.5 to earn the reserve champion’s title.  Slooow Ride, shown by Lloyd Cox, placed third with 223.5 points.

This is the fourth Arbuckle Mountain 5/6 Open win for Beau Galyean, who also claimed titles in 2017, aboard Metallic Rebel; in 2015, as co-champion on Sweet Metallic; and in 2014, with Cattalou. In addition, Galyean has won three Arbuckle 4-Year-Old Open titles: in 2015, as co-champion on Magistic Moon; in 2013, on Peyotee; and in 2011, with SVR Reyl Smart.

Metallics MVP LTE $126,530 is owned by Billy Wolf, Whitesboro, Tex., and was bred by Cows & Horses Etc, Dallas, Tex. The 5-year-old Metallic Cat son was an NCHA Futurity Open finalist under Hayden Upton, and most recently won the 2020 Abilene Spectacular 5/6 Classic with Galyean. My Lizzy Babe LTE $163,653, Metallics MVP’s dam and a Lizzys Gotta Player daughter, shown primarily on the West Coast, won the 4-year-old and 5/6-year-old championships at the Pacific Coast Futurity under Tim Smith. My Lizzy Babe is also a full sister to Moms Stylish Player LTE $405,562.

Six-year-old Rollz Royce LTE $280,700, a leading four as well as 5/6-year-old money earner, is owned by Thomas Guinn, Philadelphia, Miss., and was bred by Royce Stalcup. The Dual Smart Rey son has won seven open major events and placed second in five others with Galyean, including the 2019 NCHA Super Stakes Classic.

Five-year-old Slooow Ride LTE $145,858 was bred by Alvin Fults and is owned by Pat and Lisa Taylor, Pilot Point, Tex. The Metallic Cat son, winner of the 2019 Breeders Invitational Open with Cox, is a half-brother, out of Sweet Shorty Lena, to Spots Hot LTE $502,682, sire of the earners of $6 million.

To read more from Sally Harrison, visit her blog at sallyharrison.com.