Springtime futurities took centerstage in March with The Glen Wood Memorial and C Bar N Futurities crowning champions.
C – N Futurity
Sara Cheeney and Jet Makes Dinero won the 15th Annual C Bar N Futurity held March 21-23 in Tulare, California. Owned by Darla Miller, the 2020 gelding by Blazin Jetolena and out of Dinerosmakinmefamous helped Cheeney earn a total of $7,307 at the C – N. Cheeney and Jet Makes Dinero turned in times of 17.298, 17.449, for an aggregate 34.747 to win the 1D Futurity Average title, worth $1,398. Their 17.449 topped the first round of the futurity worth $1,395, while the 17.298 topped the second round for an additional $1,395.
“Gus” came to Cheeney in his 3-year-old year from the Miller family with 30 days training, and the duo got together as partners almost immediately.
“He was just such an easy colt and took to the pattern very natural,” Cheeney said. “He can be a little reactive so now we do a lot of slow work walking and trotting patterns. His stride is long and covers a lot of ground in his runs.”
Cheeney went into the C – N with confidence, but realistic expectations. Gus found his stride and proved he has the ability to be a winner.
“I knew he had it in him to win but he hadn’t had his day yet,” Cheeney said. “He had definitely showed it making a solid run in the second round of the Royal Crown in Buckeye, Arizona, in February. So, I wouldn’t say I went in knowing he was going to win, but I went in knowing he could.
“I am really proud of him for showing up and handling the pressure,” she continued. “In the second round he was flying and his turns weren’t the prettiest but he never quit moving his feet and trying for me.”
Cheeney has more than $252,970 in EquiStat reported lifetime earnings. Up to this point, the 5-year-old gelding had a meager EquiStat earnings record considering he only just began his competitive career, but after the C – N his futurity career has taken a leap. With Cheeney at the reins the duo look set for more confidence-boosting and check-winning days ahead.
Glen Wood Memorial Futurity
Caitlyn White and Soul Fury (Mr Soul x Ridge Lane x Lanes Leinster) topped the Glen Wood Memorial Futurity held March 14-16 in South Jordan, Utah. The duo topped the average with a 31.787, worth $2,187. They also topped Sunday’s futurity with a 15.731, worth an additional $2,178. Their 15.731 also earned Sunday’s Open win for another $976.
Owned by Trevor Brindley, the 5-year-old gelding is by the Furyofthewind son Mr Soul who was owned and bred by John Nielsen, and out of the Lanes Leinster daughter Ridge Lane, who’s owned and bred by Arthur Nielsen. White has earned more than $44,466 in EquiStat reported earnings, having earned a large portion of that aboard the sire Mr Soul.
Trained by the Brindley family Soul Fury has been with White since last year and the Spanish Fork, Utah resident knew right away he was going to be a winner.
“[The Brindleys] reached out to me last year about him because they knew he was something special and wanted him to be futuritied on. I was able to hop on him and start exhibitions and just fine tune him. He is very rate-y and turns them a little too well sometimes,” White said with a laugh. “He absolutely loves to run. I rodeoed on his sire, Mr Soul and they are very similar so I felt it was easier to get together with him because of that.”
White says while the advantage of having ridden his sire was beneficial, there was still a learning curve with the gelding, who she says has more of a turn-style than his sire.
“Soul Fury is definitely more turn-y and I feel like I have to work for it more on him than his sire,” White said.
The duo topped the Glen Wood Futurity average with a 31.787, worth $2,187. They also topped Sunday’s futurity with a 15.731, worth an additional $2,178. Their 15.731 also earned Sunday’s Open win for another $976.
“I had zero expectations going into the Glen Wood, I just knew if I did my job, he’d do his and he did,” she said. “He cut it close on the first barrel in Round One,m so going into the second round, I knew I needed an extra step on that back side and he went in and worked amazing. I feel extremely thankful for it, he went in and did his job and I am so proud of him and thankful I get to be his jockey!”
This article was originally published in the May 2025 issue of Barrel Horse News.
