Mate So Smooth, with Paul Hansma, and Sir Stylish Lizzy, under Michael Cooper, posted back-to-back scores of 220 points to become co-champions of the XTO Energy NCHA Super Stakes Open Gelding division Tuesday.
The $8,441 payout was the first money earned by Mate So Smooth, a Smooth As A Cat son owned by Darren Blanton, Dallas, Texas.
“He’s a good little horse; we’ve just had some tough luck with him,” said Hansma, who acquired Mate So Smooth last spring, when Jason Clark, who had trained him for Blanton to that point, became resident trainer for the McDavid Family.
“He tries hard and he’s a neat moving horse,” added Hansma. “I’ve been lucky with geldings the last few years.”
Hansma, the #3 all-time leading NCHA money earner with over $5 million, has trained and shown some of the sport’s top geldings in the past decade, including Sister CD, with $820,574; Rockin By Choice, with $313,077; Al Poocino, with $254,763; and Patrick La Dual, with $237,976.
Sister CD (2006) and Rockin By Choice (2005) were Super Stakes Gelding champions under Hansma, as well as Starring CD (2001) and KG Dual Smart (1998).
Mate So Smooth is a full brother to Arosesuchaclatter, earner of $245,000, ridden by Bart Nichols, as limited champion and also as a finalist in the 2010 NCHA Super Stakes.
Sir Stylish Lizzy, shown Michael Cooper for Darol Rodrock, Bucyrus Kansas, made his debut as an open horse in February, at the Tunica Futurity, Cooper’s first show back following reconstructive knee surgery that kept him out of competition from November through January.
“He’s a good horse, but not many people know him,” said Cooper of the Lizzys Gotta Player son.
Sir Stylish Lizzy didn’t make the Tunica Futurity Finals, but ARC Moonstruckplease, ridden by Cooper for George Ward, was reserve champion.
Cooper also showed ARC Moonstruckplease in the Super Stakes Gelding Finals for a payout of $1,223.
Wiley Cat, shown as a 2010 NCHA Futurity finalist and reserve champion of the 2011 Abilene Spectacular, was also trained by Cooper, but shown by Dirk Blakesly, as catch-rider.
“I hate it for Michael, but I’m sure glad he let me ride this horse,” said Blakesley, referring to Cooper’s layoff following his surgery.
Spookystimetoshine, another 2010 NCHA Futurity finalist trained by Cooper, was shown by Steve Oehlhof.
“Michael trained him all year,” said Oehlhof, “and when he asked me if I’d be interested in riding him, I said absolutely.”
Cooper has been resident trainer for Rodrock for the past two years. But recently, Rodrock was instructed by doctors to give up riding and he is in the process of reducing his stable. Cooper will continue to operate out of Rodrock’s facility for now, but will also accept outside horses for training.