JamesNadinePayne JillFreeman

Once In A Blu Boon wins Cattlemen’s 5/6-Year-Old Open

JamesNadinePayne JillFreemanJames and Nadine Payne, and Jill FreemanFresh off a victory in the 5/6-Year-Old Open at the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity nearly two weeks earlier, Once In A Blu Boon kept the ball rolling at the Cattlemen’s Derby & Classic in Graham, Texas.

On March 6, the 5-year-old stallion and Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Rider James Payne marked a 225 to win the 5/6-Year-Old Open for their second major score of the year. Once In A Blu Boon (Peptoboonsmal x Autumn Boon x Dual Pep) is owned by Jill Freeman’s Charlotte Farms, of Rosston, Texas, and was bred by the late Bill Freeman.

Other winners of the day:

• Rose Valley Ranch’s Tapt Out and Michael Cooper won the 5/6-Year-Old Gelding Open with a 221;

• Proud Lil Pepto, owned by Forrest Saunders, and trainer Hayden Upton were named the 5/6-Year-Old Limited Open Champions after scoring a 433.5 composite in the go-rounds.