The $155,000-added Arbuckle Mountain Futurity got underway on Monday, in Ardmore, Okla., with the first go-round of 4-Year-Old Open competition, which carried over into Tuesday, and was followed by the 5/6-Year-Old Open go-round.
CR Dualin Out Tuff, shown by Austin Shepard for Julie Beasley, Montgomery, Ala., topped 150 first go-round entries with 221 points. Sugrspiznevrthingniz and Scantly Clad, shown by Matt Gaines and Lloyd Cox, respectively, tied with 220.5 points, while Ted Blade, ridden by Geoffrey Sheehan, and Metallics MVP, under Shepard, tied with 220 points. Ninety horses with scores of 214.5 points or higher qualified for Wednesday’s Open second go-round.
Sired by Woody Be Tuff and bred by Center Ranch, CR Dualin Out Tuff $39,584 placed ninth with Beasley in the NCHA Futurity Non-Pro finals and has carried her to two championship wins so far this year, in the Augusta Futurity Amateur Unlimited and the Ike Hamilton Amateur. Shepard took the mare’s reins in the Ike Hamilton Futurity, as well, to place seventh in the Open. CR Dualin Out Tuff is a full sister to 5-year-old CR Dualin Tuff $67,723, who Shepard also showed in the Ike Hamilton Futurity, placing fourth in the Classic for Center Ranch.
Sugrspiznevrthingniz $33,564, by Kit Kat Sugar, is owned by Jim Vangilder, Weatherford, Tex. Gaines had shown the mare as an NCHA Futurity Semi-Finalist and, last week, claimed the Bonanza Cutting reserve championship with her.
Scantly Clad $23,337 is owned by her breeder Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla. The Metallic Cat daughter was an NCHA Futurity Non-Pro finalist under Ty Moore, and last week carried him as champion of the Bonanza Futurity Non-Pro.
Ten Blade $11,499, owned by Beechfork Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., earned money in 2018 when he tied for fifth in the West Texas Futurity under Sheehan, and also placed in the Cotton Stakes with Austin Shepard.
Metallics MVP $41,644, by Metallic Cat, is owned by Billy Wolf, Whitesboro, Tex. The red roan stallion, a full brother to Moms Stylish Player $351,262, was an NCHA Futurity Open and Open Limited finalist with Hayden Upton, and claimed the reserve championship of the Ike Hamilton Futurity under Shepard.
In addition to CR Dualin Out Tuff and Metallics MVP, Shepard also qualified for the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity second go-round with 217.5 points on Hammer Hughes $30,469, owned and bred by Joel Colgrove, Boligee, Ala.; with 216.5 points on his own horse, Chexy Louella $57,721, winner of the NCHA Futurity Non-Pro with Austin and Stacy Shepard’s son, Cade; and with 216 points on Bama Jelly $45,863, the 2019 Augusta Futurity Open champion, owned and bred by Madalyn Colgrove, Boligee, Ala.
The Arbuckle Mountain Futurity continues through Sunday, February 24.