Itawathenpuddycat, ridden by Matt Miller, and Boon Too Suen, under Kobie Wood, marked back-to-back 221-point scores on Wednesday to tie for the Brazos Bash Derby open championship. Wanda Rey, with Bruce Morine, and Catty Hawk, ridden by Sean Flynn, tied with 218 points, the second-highest score.

Itawathenpuddycat most recently placed second with Miller, his owner, in the West Texas Open Derby. Miller’s wife, Megan, showed him as non-pro champion of the NCHA Super Stakes and non-pro reserve champion in the NCHA Derby.

The sorrel gelding is one of five performers from the first crop of six foals sired by Athena Puddy Cat. His winners’ share of $19,000 from the Brazos Bash increased his lifetime earnings to $82,000. Lost Wages Cat, also by Athena Puddy Cat, has earned $81,642, while Athena Nuff has close to $60,000.

Megan Miller will show Itawathenpuddycat in tomorrow’s first go-round of non-pro competition.

The Derby co-championship pushed Boon Too Suen’s career tally just past $100,000. Owned by Gary Rosenbach, who purchased the colt for $150,000 at the 2006 NCHA Futurity Sales and showed him as an amateur finalist in the 2008 NCHA Futurity, the Peptoboonsmal son is out of 1996 NCHA Horse of the Year Meradas Little Sue, who Wood showed as both a limited event champion and as three-time NCHA World Champion (1995, 1997 and 1999).

Meradas Little Sue, owned by Fort Ranch, Promontory, UT, is the dam of 14 NCHA money winners, including four that have each earned over $100,000. Fort Ranch owner, Frank VanderSloot, purchased Meradas Little Sue for a record $875,000 at the 2001 NCHA Futurity Sales.

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