Metallicious, a red roan daughter of Metallic Cat shown by T.J. Good, scored 222 points on Wednesday, to claim the first of six days of NCHA Futurity Open first go-round competition. Sugarush, ridden by Greg Wright, and Catillac Reys, with Ascencion Banuelos, tied with 219.5 points, the day’s second-highest score, while Brandon Dufurrena and Cherry Chapstick marked 219 points. At the end of the day, 31 of the 86 entries had scored 215 points or higher.
Owned by Charles Burger, Chatsworth, Ga., Metallicious was purchased at the 2015 NCHA Futurity Sales for $35,000 from her breeders Alvin and Becky Fults, who have two of Metallicious’s yearling full siblings consigned to this year’s sale. Out of Sweet Shorty Lena LTE $110,484, Metallicious is half-sister to Spots Hot LTE $502,682, a leading sire of 2017 money earners.
T.J. Good, the NCHA earner of $1,103,554, was reserve champion of the 2013 NCHA Futurity riding Stunned LTE $111,797, by High Brow Cat. Most recently, he won the 2017 Arbuckle Mountain Open Derby aboard Game On Smooth LTE $59,433, by Smooth As A Cat.
Owned by Monte Strusiner, Oakbrook, Ill., Sugarush, by Kit Kat Sugar and out of Aristocratic Cookie, is a three-quarter sister to Brickyard Cat LTE $63,555. Greg Wright, reserve champion of the NCHA Super Stakes Open Limited on Shesa Catty Rey LTE $27,597, is the NCHA earner of $760,447.
Catillac Rey, owned by Michelle Cannon, Waxahachie, Tex., is by Metallic Cat and out of Tootsie Rey LTE $200,876, who Cannon purchased for $175,000 at the 2009 NCHA Futurity Sales. Catillac Rey is a full brother to Chrome Catillac LTE $78,462, as well as three-quarter brother to the yearling High Brow Reys, consigned by Cannon to Western Bloodstock’s 2017 Select Yearling Sale.
Ascencion Banuelos, an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider and earner of $2,222,568, is an eight-time NCHA Futurity Open finalist. In 1998, he rode Instant Cash 595 LTE $60,215, as his first NCHA Futurity finalist; last year he placed sixth on Purrn Likeasmoothcat LTE $104,807.
Cherry Chapstick, by Metallic Cat and out of Nievas LTE $358,536, was bred and is owned by Brandon Dufurrena, Gainesville, Tex. Dufurrena, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame inductee and earner of $949,832, won the 2012 NCHA Non-Pro World Championship riding Nievas and Miss Ella Rey LTE $375,842. He also won the 2015 NCHA Non-Pro World Finals with Purple Reyn LTE $356,632.
The NCHA Futurity continues through Sunday, December 10.