Robert Graves, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., rode Smart Bobbi Sock to 220 and the first go-round leader in the Classic Non-Pro division. Special

Robert Graves lives 2 hours away from Augusta, but considers it home - at least during the Augusta Futurity.

If Graves can call himself a local, then chalk one up for the home team Tuesday.

On Smart Bobbi Sock, Graves rang up 220 and won the first go-round of the Classic Non-Pro at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

"We work real hard to compete hard here, we local people," he said. "I call myself local, even though I'm from Hilton Head. This is my local headquarters."

Greg Coalson and Quejanaisalena and Jim Langdale and Widows Intentions tied for second at 219.

Fifty-five horses with scores of 212 or better advanced to today's second go-round.

Graves has been cutting for 25 years and competing for two decades in the Augusta Futurity. But since turning Non-Pro in the mid-1990s, he's had little success. Until his early-morning run.

"Not many times have I had an opportunity to ride where everything's gone right," Graves said. "It was one of a kind for me."

Graves is a 67-year-old recently retired general contractor with seven children and 15 grandchildren. At an age when some cutters are winding down their careers, Graves is trying to take his to the next level.

To do that, he recognized a need for a better horse.

"We wanted a horse that could compete on a national level," Graves said. "That was an objective I had. It's very competitive in the Non-Pro throughout the nation, and you've got to have a very competitive horse."

On trainer Phil Rapp's advisement, Graves bought the horse after the 2003 NCHA World Championship Futurity.

Success didn't come quickly, though.

In the 2004 Augusta Futurity, their first competition together, Graves and his mare recorded scores of 211 in the two go-rounds of the Futurity Non-Pro and failed to make the finals.

Graves sent the horse to Rapp for additional work, and Smart Bobbi Sock soon found her mark. In the NCHA Amateur Derby in July, Graves' 15-year-old daughter, Mary Ellen, and her mount posted 218.5 to win the finals.

In this year's Augusta Futurity, Mary Ellen finished fourth on the 5-year-old mare in the $50,000 Amateur for 5/6-Year-Olds finals.

Graves said watching his daughter succeed in the sport motivates him.

"That keeps me pumped up in the sport," he said. "Plus the thrill of riding."

Graves had the thrill of his career during Tuesday's go-round. He overcame the difficulty of running 10th in the 11-horse draw.

"It was easy to cut today," Graves said. "The picture was just there in front of you where you could stay focused better. Of course a lot of that has a lot to do with the cattle cooperating."

If the cattle cooperates again today, Graves could find himself in the finals seeking his first Augusta Futurity title.

"A lot can happen between now and then," Graves said. "The race is not over yet. We've had a good start, but we hope we can have a good finish."