Coontail lands on feet, other Cat out

Scott Ferguson's patience paid off with Coontail Cat.

After a rough start to 2005 with the mare, Ferguson watched the horse finally mature last summer. Just before the pair won the NCHA Derby in July, he could tell his horse had grown up.

"When we got to the Derby it was like night and day," he said. "She was like I'd rather do my job than fight you all the time."

Coontail Cat did her job again Wednesday. She and Ferguson marked 216 in the second go-round of the Classic Non-Pro and advanced to the finals with an aggregate score of 431.

Glade Knight and Scramble Dox posted 216 to advance to the finals with the top combined total of 433. Danny Miller and CD Stars had the top score of the go-round at 218 to also move on to the championship round.

Tommy Manion and Daintys Cat will not be there. After marking the top score in the first go-round, they added a disappointing 203 in the second go to miss the finals by 6.5 points.

The top 20 horses with combined totals of 428 or better advanced to the finals, which begin at 6 p.m. tonight at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

Ferguson of Hempstead, Texas and Coontail Cat, a 5-year-old horse by High Brow Cat out of DC Monkeyote, rode first in the final bunch. Ferguson knew the cattle was tough, and he wanted to put together a run good enough for the finals.

"I was a little nervous," he said. "It's Augusta. Being first down there, you never know what's going to happen."

Knight, who owns two Slate River Ranch facilities in Virginia and Texas, is trying to add his third Augusta Futurity title.

In 2001, he won the $50,000 Amateur for 5/6-year-olds and the $50,000 Amateur for 4-year-olds.

As an owner, he watched three of his horses make the finals last month at the NCHA World Championship Futurity in Fort Worth, Texas. Those three finalists earned $153,000.

Last year, he watched his trainer Michelle Hall win the Augusta Futurity open finals with Play Stocks.

"I'm an owner-rider," he said. "It's exciting to have other people ride your horses. But I'm in it because I love to ride.

"You get excited and happy when your horses do well and other people are on them. But there's nothing like riding."

Knight said he likes his chances with Scramble Dox, a 5-year-old mare by Playdox out of Clarks Poco Lil.

"It's wide open," Knight said. "All of the horses that are there are good horses. Whatever happens, happens."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.