Third Cutting and Boyd Rice cut a wide swath in the NCHA record books yesterday with 230 points in the Summer Spectacular Open Classic Challenge.
It was the fourth consecutive win for the pair in Will Rogers Coliseum (beginning with the 2009 Super Stakes) and the second time they have scored 230 points – NCHA records on both counts.
Special Nu Kitty and R.L. Chartier marked 225 points, a winning score in past years, for the reserve championship.
“He was the best he’s ever been, dead-on the whole time,” said Rice, who is still recuperating from a broken leg, as a result of a riding accident three days after the Super Stakes.
“That’s a special fit,” said owner Carl Smith of Third Cutting and Rice. “If it wasn’t Boyd, we just wouldn’t have done it.”
Third Cutting placed eighth in the 2008 NCHA Futurity, then never looked back.
“I can hold my breath for a solid two and a half minutes now,” said Smith, who originally purchased Third Cutting for a non-pro mount.
Earlier this week, Smith’s wife, Shawnea, and their 18-year-old twin daughters went sky diving.
“There are two things I will never do,” said Smith. “One is sky dive and the other is ride Third Cutting. But Boyd and Third Cutting, they both like to go fast, so it’s perfect.
“We love to watch them. The louder they holler, the better (Third Cutting) seems to like it.”
Cutting fans will be happy to know that the Smith’s plan are for their 5-year-old Boonlight Dancer son to continue his show career in Fort Worth with Rice next year, even though he is already in demand for the 2011 breeding season.
“We bred 85 mares to him this year,” said Smith. “And Special Nu Kitty and Rey Down Sally are (among the mares that are) going to breed to him next year.”
Special Nu Kitty, owned by Wrigley Ranches, has the distinction of marking the highest score (227 points) in the history of the NCHA Futurity first and second go-rounds.
Rey Down Sally, ridden for Iron Rose Ranch by Gary Gonsalves, placed third in yesterday’s finals with 221 points.