Nu I Wood / Matt Gaines return to top standings at 2003 SS Classic Open

Gaines one of 9 trainers who qualified multiple horses for finals

(Fort Worth, TX) — The 2003 Flowmaster / National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes Classic Open Champion, Nu I Wood, was also a four-year-old Open Champion at the 2001 NCHA Derby.

The win in the 2003 Classic Open is doubly sweet for Gaines and owners Eddie & Susan Longley (Crystal Creek Ranch) of Aledo, Texas. Nu I Wood worked halfway through the finals group made up of 46 five-and six-year-old cutting horses, scoring 225 points. Their lead held, and the return on the work was a check for $40,120 in addition to awards from a host of NCHA sponsors.

The Zack T Wood-sired mare was one of two horses shown by Gaines—which both belong to Crystal Creek Ranch. Their other mare, Little Pepto Gal, finished fifth with 219 points. Little Pepto Gal, sired by Peptoboonsmal, was also the 2002 NCHA Horse of the Year.

Finishing as Reserve Champion of the 2003 Flowmaster Super Stakes Classic with 223 points was Cats Red Feather, ridden by Phil Rapp. Cats Red Feather worked halfway through the first of three bunches in the finals, and led the class until Nu I Wood worked one bunch later. Rapp rode Cats Red Feather, sired by High Brow Cat, for Jack & Susan Waggoner of Bridgeport, Texas.

Rapp rode two additional horses in the Super Stakes Classic Open finals. In total, nine trainers—Gaines, Rapp, Tim Smith, Paul Hansma, Neil Roger, Roger Wagner, Kobie Wood, Bill Riddle and Jody Galyean—each qualified multiple horses for the big-money round.

The 2003 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic cutting began at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2 and will continue daily through Sunday, April 20. A complete daily schedule and list of classes is available on the NCHA website at www.nchacutting.com. Admission is free through April 18^th, and then tickets begin at just $5.

The Super Stakes is a show for only the offspring of nominated stallions. However, with 140 of the industry's top sires on the list of nominees, the show is far from "exclusive."

Each stallion owner paid $3,500 to subscribe, the vast majority of which is added directly to the event’s purse. In addition, each Super Stakes entry paid a fee of $1,500 or more depending on the event division and time of payment, with a major part of that fee adding to the purse.

Flowmaster, a household name in car racing circles, is the title sponsor of the Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic for the second year now. Over the past 19 years, Flowmaster's patented technology has also blazed new trails in the passenger car and tow vehicle markets. Their customers are saving 100 million gallons of fuel per year—a subject of increasing importance for everyone. Learn more about Flowmaster by visiting their booth in the Coors Light Trade Show during the cutting, or visit www.flowmastermufflers.com.

The sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions, where good horses were a necessity for everyday ranch work and cattle handling. The National Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers who wanted to promote cutting competition, standardize rules and preserve the cutting horses' Western heritage. Today, the Fort Worth-based NCHA represents over 14,000 people and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows with more than $26 million in total prize money awarded annually.

For more information about the NCHA, the 2003 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic, or the sport of cutting, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.