Thursday belonged to Blue Laney Bird and Guy Woods at the Arbuckle Mountatin Futurity in Ardmore, where they scored 221.5 points to win the 4-Year-Old Open Limited Finals. Paradox Blue Rey and Nick O’Dell claimed reserve with 221, while Ahhh Honey Honey and Clay Johnson placed third with 217.5. Heavy Metal Faith and Tiger Onagoldleash tied for fourth with 217 points under Tommy Marvin and Craig Thompson.

Blu Laney Bird, bred and owned by EE Ranches, Whitesboro, Tex., is by Once In A Blu Boon out of Catalaney LTE $11,126, a full sister to Cat Ichi LTE $238,691, sire of the earners of over $6 million. Laney Doc, the dam of Cat Ichi and Catalaney, is a leading producer of earners of more than $1.4 million, including seven who have each earned more than $100,000.

Guy Woods and Blu Laney Bird came to the Arbuckle Futurity following a fourth place finish in the Ike Hamilton Futurity Limited Open. Woods, the NCHA Open Hall of Fame earner of $2,710,059 million, who showed Cat Ichi, as well as five more of Laney Doc’s $100,000 earners, has also won 16 NCHA Eastern National championships riding EE Ranches-bred horses.

Once In A Blu Boon gelding Paradox Blue Rey, bred and owned by Mike and Sue Christensen, Walton, Neb., came into the Arbuckle Futurity with $32,150, most of which was earned in the NCHA Futurity, where he carried Mike Christensen to fourth place in the Amateur Unlimited Finals and collected first place payout in the Amateur Unlimited Senior and Amateur Unlimited Gelding divisions. He also placed in the NCHA Futurity Open Limited with O’Dell, and was an Amateur Semi-Finalist with Christensen. Paradox Blue Rey, out of Thimblerey LTE $47,757, is a half-brother to Paradox Cat LTE $209,298, also bred by the Christensens.

Nick O’Dell, Fort Scott, Kan., winner of the 2011 Nebraska Futurity and reserve champion of the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes Classic  Open Limited on Sheez All That LTE $100,539, by Cat Ichi, is the NCHA earner of $812,197.