The second week of March delivered exactly what barrel racing fans expect this time of year—big futurity headlines, packed open races, and the start of RodeoHouston’s high-stakes Super Series. From a nearly 700-entry race in Texarkana to the $104,000 Mini Million payout in Arizona, the action spanned every corner of the industry.
This week’s episode of The Rundown, presented by Chewy, breaks down the biggest results from the Texarkana Lucky Dog, Glen Rose’s March Madness and Big League slot race, the Xtreme event in Queen Creek, Arizona, and the opening Super Series rounds at RodeoHouston.
Texarkana Lucky Dog
The Texarkana Lucky Dog race once again drew huge numbers, with 471 entries Friday, nearly 700 on Saturday, and more than 420 runs on Sunday.
Bria Vogel kicked off the weekend with a Friday win aboard Chicks Brave Warrior, earning $2,515 and taking the youth title as well.
Saturday’s massive field saw Chelsea Bartlett top the leaderboard on DP Winning Girl with a 14.475-second run worth $1,908. The 4-year-old by Winners Version out of VF Famous Cowgirl also rolled that time from the futurity to win the Breeders Challenge qualifier average.
Case Winninger captured the derby title on Streak of Fire, a FSTV offspring out of Cant Stop The Fire.
The weekend also featured the Alpha Dog High Stakes slot race, a $400 entry fee event paying back 95 percent of the pot. Summer Muhlenkamp and TS French Traffic won the 1D for $2,286, while Kappie Bryant claimed the 2D aboard RDC NoFunnyBidness for $2,000. Bria Vogel added another payday with TF Bar Dash Freckles, winning the 3D for $1,429.
Sunday’s highlight came from one of the sport’s most recognizable veterans.
Red Man Jones, the 2011 gelding known as “Scooby,” returned to the winner’s circle with the fastest time of the entire weekend, a 14.226-second run worth $1,503 plus an additional $195 bonus. The run pushed the gelding’s lifetime earnings to roughly $995,000, putting him within striking distance of the million-dollar mark.
March Madness & Big League
J&J Productions hosted March Madness in Glen Rose, Texas, leading into the Big League slot race on Sunday.
Callie Albrecht topped the futurity aboard HP Bully By Design with a 14.925-second run worth $3,308. The 2021 gelding is by Bully Bullion and out of DJ Spoonful of Sugar.
Rain Bo Dash and BPT dominated the open, derby and High Roller sidepots with a 14.570-second run that earned $1,831 in the open, $3,210 in the derby and $1,822 in the High Roller payout.
Whitney Davison won the 2D High Roller on FC Cherry On Top as a carryover from the futurity, earning $1,093, while Joao Leao claimed the 3D win.
The Big League slot race wrapped up the weekend with 200 entries and a $750 entry fee paying back 90 percent of the purse.
Tiany Schuster and Chalk Cliffs won the 1D with a 14.475-second run worth $18,982. Helen Nowosad placed second aboard Down Ta Drift, earning $14,236, while Donna Murphy and Hyday At Six finished third for $11,988.
Tatum White won the 2D on Red As Hale for $11,789, while Sam Smith topped the 3D aboard Willie On Fire CS for $8,193.
The youth race also showcased the next generation of competitors, led by Sawyer Wilkerson, who won the 1D aboard DMAC Hipmotize.
Xtreme Queen Creek
The Xtreme race in Queen Creek, Arizona, drew hundreds of entries across three days of competition and culminated in the lucrative Mini Million payout.
Ivy Saebens and KN Fabs Gift to Vegas set the pace Friday with the fastest time among 313 runs.
Saturday tightened the leaderboard dramatically. Skye Miller and DMR Im Kinda Special edged the field with a 15.284-second run, followed closely by Lora Nichols and Blissful Version, Ruby Lightfoot and Mister Cash Flo, and Sloan Thompson aboard Some Bunnies Lion.
Sunday ultimately produced the fastest runs of the weekend.
Taylor Armenta and Hes Got Cat Style clocked a 15.233 to win the Mini Million, while Skye Miller and DMR Im Kinda Special finished second with a 15.269. A total of 299 entries rolled into the Mini Million payout, which exceeded $104,000.
Armenta earned $5,494 for the 1D victory. Barbara Merrill won the 2D aboard Joys Frost for $4,835, Jamie Putnam and Ebay took the 3D for $4,395, Kingsley Mercer won the 4D on Authenticious for $3,956, and Mitzi Frick captured the 5D on Reflect A Cool Kid for $3,297.
Several riders stacked multiple checks throughout the race, including Skye Miller, who earned more than $8,200 in the 1D with two payouts.
RodeoHouston Kickoff
The first two Super Series brackets wrapped up at RodeoHouston, where competitors run three rounds within their bracket before the top four advance to the semifinals.
Super Series I belonged entirely to Michelle Alley and Lipstick N Stilettos. The pair swept all three rounds, earning $9,000 and advancing comfortably to the semifinals.
Lisa Lockhart finished second in the bracket with $4,000, followed by Hailey Kinsel with $3,875 and Chloe Gray with $1,875.
Super Series II featured three different round winners. Jordan Driver opened the bracket with a 14.18-second run aboard TRHeavensIlluminated, known as “Cyrus.”
Sydney Graham and Dupont First captured the second round, while Loralee Ward secured a clutch win in Round 3 aboard Florari to move into the semifinals.
Sydney Graham led the bracket with $5,500, followed by Jordan Driver with $4,250, Paige Jones with $3,875 and Ward with $3,500.
Super Series III kicked off this week, and current WPRA World Standings leader Emily Beisel wasted no time making a statement. Beisel returned to RodeoHouston aboard Teasin Dat Guy for the horse’s first run since Round 10 of the National Finals Rodeo and won the opening round.
Barrel racing fans can follow daily draws, results and advancement updates throughout the rodeo on BarrelRacing.com.
Industry Notes
Entries are now open for the Calgary Stampede qualifier scheduled April 10–12 in Salina, Utah, at the Western Regional. The event will also serve as a Days of ’47 qualifier, allowing competitors to chase qualification for both events with the same set of runs. Entries close March 27 at 11 p.m. MT.
Meanwhile, The Patriot event is underway in Fort Worth with open competition running Wednesday through Friday before the Saturday short round. The 19-and-under finals will conclude Sunday.
This episode of The Rundown is brought to you by Chewy.
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