The Bonanza Cutting concluded its nine-day run on Saturday in Glen Rose, Tex., with a record number of entries, which kept the action going past midnight most days.
Sweet Little Cats and Austin Shepard claimed $35,125 with 219 points, as winners of the $203,651 4-Year-Old Open division, where Reyhanna and Tatum Rice earned reserve and $26,105 with 218 points.
Sweet Little Cats, by High Brow Cat out of Sweet Little CD, is a full brother to NCHA Horse of the Year High Brow CD, the only stallion to win the NCHA Futurity and follow at four with five major championships. Sweet Little Cats is owned by his breeders, Bob Wendel and James Eakin. Wendel was also the breeder of High Brow CD, who Shepard trained and showed, as well.
The Bonanza marked the third major finals event within a six-week span for Sweet Little Cats, who also placed third in the Tunica Futurity and seventh at the Augusta Futurity, and has unofficial career earnings of $55,543.
Reyhanna was an open finalist with Rice at the NCHA Futurity and placed third in the Abilene Futurity in January. The Dual Rey daughter, bred by Kit and Charlie Moncrief and owned by Kevin Knight, has unofficial career earnings of $54,581.
Mary Ann Rapp and her High Brow CD daughter Reyzin, non-pro champions of the Abilene Spectacular, captured their second major win with 222.5 points in the Bonanza 4-Year-Old Non-Pro. Kelle Earnheart and Flash About, by Purdy Boy Flash, placed second with 222 points. Earnheart and her mare also finished third in the Abilene Spectacular and fourth at the Tunica Futurity.
CR Sun Reys, owned by Center Ranch, Centerville, Tex., scored 223 points under Boyd Rice as champion of the 5/6-Year-Old Open; Lahaina Lena, owned by Waco Bend Ranch, Graham, Tex. and ridden by Phil Rapp, took reserve with 221 points.
CR Sun Reys, by Dual Rey, was bred by Oxbow Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., out of Play Peek A Boon, earner of $205,795. Lahaina Lena, also by Dual Rey, was bred by Phil Rapp out of his great champion and champion producer Tap O Lena. Tap O Lena is the second dam of Dont Look Twice, LTE $740,060, NCHA’s all-time leading mare, also owned by Waco Bend Ranch and shown by Rapp.
For complete Bonanza results and pedigrees, click here.