Roger Wagner soaked in the moment after winning Saturday night's Futurity Open finals.
As head trainer of Jim Vangilder's Rock Creek Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, Wagner watched him and Vangilder put together a remarkable week.

Wagner won his first Augusta Futurity title on Pet Squirrel. He also placed second on Catting in the Classic Open finals and third in the Western Horseman Cup Open finals with Quintan Blue.

"It's been a great week," Wagner said. "It's always tough in Augusta. But it turns out, if you can be successful it's something to remember.

"You couldn't ask for much better."

The 27th annual Augusta Futurity will be remembered for its past champions coming through again. Tag Rice added his fourth Augusta title, while Vangilder notched his third win in three years. Matt Gaines and Benjie Neely each added their second Augusta wins.

Yet maybe no contestant had a better time than Vangilder. He won the Western Horseman Cup Non-Pro finals aboard Quintan Blue, And his horses won more than $78,000 in the finals alone.

"This certainly exceeded anybody's expectations," Vangilder said at the conclusion of the 10-day show.

Wagner battled a sinus infection all week. He said he felt much better after Saturday night's winning run.

He and Pet Squirrel, a mare by Playdox out of Squirrel Tooth Alice, rode first in the second bunch of horses and marked a seemingly beatable score of 220. But the remaining 13 horses couldn't do it.

"That was her sixth run this week, and she gave it her all," Wagner said. "She was bright and quick. She hit that stop hard. She's just a big-hearted mare."

Rice found another champion horse himself. He and Cat T Masterson rung up 223 to win the Western Horseman Cup Open finals, It marked Rice's second victory in three years in that event.

The 31-year-old Rice won for the fourth time in Augusta in four years. Among career Augusta victory leaders, he's tied with Pete Branch and Terry Riddle, and he trails only Phil Rapp (seven titles) and Faron Hightower (five).

Veteran trainer Gaines won his second title in four years. Atop One Time Pepto, Gaines recorded the show's best score with 229 in the Classic Open finals. The mark came within 1.5 points of the arena record.

Neely added to her Augusta resume by winning the Classic Non-Pro atop Annabella Lea.

There were four first-time winners: Dora Daoud ($100,000 Amateur for 5/6-year-olds), Eric Kenney ($20,000 Non-Pro Any Age), Libbie Goldberg ($100,000 Amateur 4-year-olds) and Nicole Aldridge ($50,000 Amateur Any Age).

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

--From the Monday, January 30, 2006 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle