Roping futurity season is upon us, and Reliance Ranches-bred horses are already in the money, headlined by their 5-year-old stallion Watch The Lane, along with some brand-new campaigners set to chase steers down this month.
At February’s ARHFA’s Sun Circuit in Scottsdale, Arizona, babies by Show Me The Buckles stood out. Justin Johnson rode RR LikeBigBuckles to fourth in the first round of that Heading Futurity with a smooth 228.28. And, in the Non Pro, Shelby Black made the short round on RR Buckles Clubhouse, which Bryan Beaver bought from Trevor Brazile.
That same month in nearby Buckeye at the Royal Crown Heading Futurity, Reliance’s young stud Watch The Lane placed fourth in the first round and 11th in the average with Rhen Richard at the reins. He’s by leading barrel-racing sire The Goodbye Lane and out of a stout granddaughter of Sun Frost that also went back to Leo and Driftwood Ike.
The ranch’s youngest superstar only needs one name. Kiri is a stout 4-year-old by Tres Seis and out of a daughter of racing supersire Apollitical Jess (speed index 107). She’s eligible for the massive Old West Futurity bonuses, having been a sale graduate.
“That’s a nice mare,” said Mote. “I haven’t really taken her anywhere yet, but she acts like an old horse. If I could draw a picture of a head horse, I would draw her. She has a huge hip and hind leg; good bone and feet; and is short-backed and quick-strided.”
Another strong Reliance contender that first competed on the cloverleaf pattern is 6-year-old SS Sassy Pants, a buckskin by Mr Sassy Frenchman out of Speed N To Cash. She earned $20,606 at her first heading futurity.
“I only started focusing on her last fall, and she just took to it,” said Mote.
One more 6-year-old Reliance mare that’s working great is Im A Royal N Traffic. By Traffic Guy out of a Royal Shake Em daughter, “Kandy” earned about $17,000 at the ARHFA Sun Circuit in February after making the Intermediate short round at the World Finals last fall.
“She placed in the Intermediate Heading at the Old West Futurity last summer, and from there, she went straight to the Ruby Buckle barrel racing futurity where she placed in both rounds and the average,” said Mote of the stunning grey mare with the black mane and tail. “I don’t have to rope on her at home.”
Yet another flashy-colored Reliance contender is their blue-roan 5-year-old Famed Prince, by Dash Ta Fame and out of a Peppy San Badger/High Brow Cat/Peptoboonsmal mare. “Rocker” won money at the Gold Buckle Spring Futurity last year.
The epic barrel-racing stallion Dash Ta Fame also sired Reliance’s blaze-faced sorrel stallion RR Double Down Dash. “Double D” is out of Mia Corona by First Down Dash, and won the Intermediate Elite Stallions Incentive at the Gold Buckle Futurities 4 & Under Heading last year, worth $12,500.
“He’s also a barrel horse, and it took him a little longer last year to get dialed in at the rope-horse futurities, but he finished strong,” said Mote.
Finally, Reliance is also excited about JM Fast Lane Tomoney, a 5-year-old black mare by The Goodbye Lane out of an Assured Pleasure daughter. She placed fourth in the 4-and-Under Heading Futurity at the Gold Buckle Spring Futurity last year.
Mote and Richard and the Reliance roster will be headed next to the Old West Futurity in Guthrie, April 8-12, then to the Oil Can Classic in Ardmore on April 24-26. From there, it’s on to the Gold Buckle Futurities Spring Showdown on May 6-10 in Ardmore, followed by the Royal Crown Futurity on May 19-23 at the new Oklahoma City Fairgrounds.
Royal Crown events now include competitions for horses of any age ridden by ropers with various classifications, including Semi Pro (7.5/8.5 max), Intermediate (6.5/8 max), and Limited (5/6.5 max) with a Non Pro Sidepot (4/5 max). Plus, they offer high-dollar numbered jackpots in which at least one partner’s horse is by a Royal Crown stallion. For instance, in Buckeye, the #11 drew 57 teams and paid the winners $8,454 a man.
