Chiquita Pistol fired her final bullet Friday night.

With Tag Rice aboard, the famed sorrel mare marked 227 to win the Augusta Futurity Classic Open finals. The Triple Crown champion horse gave her grand finale to a standing ovation at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

Tag Rice 11-84 4 yr old Open-1st go. Todd Bennett

"You couldn't ask for anything more," Rice said. "Boy, she's been a good horse for me. Absolutely incredible."

Rice and Chiquita Pistol earned $22,659. Matt Gaines and Smooth As A Cat and Roger Wagner and Sun Valley Shorty tied for second at 224, each collecting $14,222.50.

Chiquita Pistol owner Wallace "Tooter" Dorman decided to retire his mare, by Smart Little Pistol out of Miss Chiquita Tari, at this show. Dorman, who plans to begin breeding the mare in late February or early March, said it was a simple decision to end his horse's cutting show career.

"She done proved everything she can prove," he said. "It wouldn't do it much good to show her any more."

Like a great baseball player coming to bat for the final time, Chiquita Pistol knocked the ball out of the park. Riding sixth in the 24-horse finals, Rice and the mare drew loud cheers from the Augusta fans on their first cut. The pair then cut a tough second cow and left 50 seconds to cut a third cow.

"That second cow wasn't very good and she made her good like she always does," Rice said. "She was running around everywhere and that mare was reading her and stopping as hard as she could. She still wasn't hanging herself out to dry. She was being really smart. She took care of business. She always does."

After Rice and Chiquita Pistol finished their run, the house announcer told the crowd of Chiquita Pistol's retirement. The Augusta fans stood and delivered a rousing ovation.

"I was kind of drained," Rice said. "When the (announcer) said to stop, I don't how to explain it. It was just a different feeling. I love that mare. She's done a lot for me. We put a lot of heart into this. It just kind of overwhelms you.

"I don't cry a whole lot, but I felt it coming."

The pair initially scored 225, but their run was later adjusted. No other horse came close to the top until Wagner and his gelding marked 224 on the 15th ride and Gaines and his stallion followed them with a matching score.

Rice and Chiquita Pistol won the 2003 Augusta Futurity Open finals with an arena-record 230.5. The pair then rung up 230 to win Thursday night's inaugural Western Horseman Cup Open finals.

"None of it was as good as (Thursday night), but (Thursday) night was perfect to me," Rice said. "I wasn't as mentally good tonight as I was (Thursday) night. I don't know if it was because it was the last time I was showing her or what. My brain wasn't as good as it should be, but I guess that's to be expected a little bit."

Rice, who with his two wins this week, joins his father, Ronnie, with three Augusta Futurity wins. Tag Rice said he's going home to take a break, and Dorman promised to deliver him another 3-year-old horse. Still, Rice knows he'll be hard-pressed to find another champion horse like Chiquita Pistol.

"I'll never ever ride another horse as good as her," he said.