Reys Desire and Lee Francois sewed up the Super Stakes Open Finals yesterday with 224 points. Im Catman, winner of the Gelding Stakes earlier in the day under Matt Budge, immediately followed Reys Desire, as the ninth horse in the first set, to claim the reserve title with 221.5 points.
“You just put her on auto pilot and she does her job,” said Francois of Reys Desire, owned and bred by Woody Bartlett, Pike Road, AL.
This was the first major NCHA championship win for Francois, who rode Smart Kitty RG as reserve champion of the 2008 NCHA Futurity.
Reys Desire, by Dual Rey, placed sixth with Francois in the 2009 NCHA Futurity, and was third in the 2010 Bonanza.
“She’s really neat feeling and she stops hard and has a lot of control,” said Francois. “She’s matured since the Futurity. She’s a lot more relaxed and so am I. It makes it a lot easier.”
Im Catman, owned by Reata Cutting Horses, Los Olivos, CA, came into the Super Stakes just hours after a 223.5-point win in the Gelding Stakes, where Harley and Wes Galyean were reserve with 223 points.
Super Stakes Classic
It was a horse race for Third Cutting and Dont Look Twice, who ended in a dead heat with 226 points each, as co-champions of the Super Stakes Classic.
Third Cutting, ridden by Boyd Rice for Carl and Shawnea Smith, Madill, OK, won the 2009 NCHA Super Stakes and NCHA Derby, and has NCHA career earnings of $355,700.
Dont Look Twice, ridden by her breeder, Phil Rapp, for Louis and Corliss Baldwin, Fort Worth, was reserve to Third Cutting in the NCHA Derby, and most recently champion to Third Cutting’s reserve in the Cattlemen’s Derby..She has NCHA earnings of $360,105.
“They’re two great horses and a tie is pretty darned wonderful,” said Rapp, cutting’s all-time leading money earner.
Rapp also showed Catlike Kit, owned by the Baldwins, to place ninth in the Super Stakes Finals.
Third Cutting and Rice made their mark deep in the first set; Dont Look Twice and Rapp worked late in the second set.
“I think he’s as good as he’s ever been,” said Rice of Third Cutting. “I thought it was a really hard run.”
Special Nu Kitty, ridden by R.L. Chartier for Wrigley Ranches, marked the second-highest score – 222 points.