Metallic Cat, winner of $250,000 as champion of the 2008 NCHA Futurity, raised his career earnings to $300,000 with a 223-point win in the Abilene Spectacular Derby, on Friday, January 9. The red roan son of High Brow Cat was trained and ridden by Beau Galyean for Alvin Fults, a commodities broker from Amarillo, TX.

Catty Hawk, also sired by High Brow Cat, marked 221 points under Sean Flynn, as reserve champion for Cowan Ranch Inc.

Just over a year ago, Beau Galyean, Marietta, OK, put his truck up as collateral, in order to borrow money from the bank to purchase Metallic Cat, after he saw the colt advertised on the Internet.

Galyean, 28 (in center of photo, flanked by brother, Wes, and father, Jody), was the third member of his immediate family to win the NCHA Futurity. Wes captured the 2004 NCHA Open Futurity on Spots Hot, and Jody won the event in 1986 on Royal Silver King. Jody’s father Kenneth Galyean, is an AQHA Hall of Fame trainer, as well.

Beau had veered away from horses in school, where he earned a golf scholarship, but became hooked on cutting, when Wes, now a professional, won the Open Futurity as a non-pro rider. This past summer, Beau forfeited his non-pro status, in order to train horses.

Metallic Cat, who Galyean purchased from Laura Teague, Fort Morgan, CO, is the fifth horse sired by High Brow Cat to win the NCHA Futurity in the past six years.