Past champions were making noise in the Futurity Open second go-round Friday afternoon, but a cowboy seeking his first win here istopping them all.

Matt Gaines of Weatherford, Texas, whose best finish in the Augusta Futurity was a reserve championship in the Classic Open last year, marked 219 on MR Jay Bar Cat and entered the final with the top aggregate score of 437.5 - a half-point above Lindy Burch and Play Peek A Boon.

"I've had some success here," Gaines said. "I haven't done as great as I would have like to have done. I think this show and the open futurity in Fort Worth are the only two I haven't won. I'd sure like to win this one."

Four-time Augusta champion Faron Hightower of Bluff Dale, Texas, rung up 222 on Justa Hickory Spade to win the go-round. The top 26 horses with a combined score of 430.5 and better advanced to the final.

The 24th annual Augusta Futurity concludes tonight with opening ceremonies at 6. The Classic Open final starts at 6:30 and will be followed by the Futurity Open finals.

Phil Rapp, the 2002 Futurity Open champion, will not defend his title. In the second go-round, Rapp marked a zero on Tapt Twice and 193 on CD Grumpy Doc to miss the cut.

Two-time Futurity Open champions Bill Freeman of Rosston, Texas, and Jody Galyean of Ardmore, Okla., however, will be vying for another championship. Freeman, the 1995 and 1998 open champion, marked a second straight 216 on Blue Autumn Baby for 432. Galyean, the 1989 and 1996 open champion, posted 218.5 on Smart N Leo (433) and 214.5 on Livin Lavida Loca (432).

"You're just so glad to be (in the finals)," said Galyean, the all-time earnings leader at the Augusta Futurity with $287,420. "There's so many good horses and good trainers. Anyone who makes it to the finals can win it."

Hightower, who has won three Classic Open titles (1993, 1996, 2001) and a Futurity Open title (2001), rebounded from an opening score of 213.5 on Justa Hickory Spade to qualify for tonight's event with 435.5.

"That time he wanted to be real good and I cut some good cows for him," Hightower said. "I just showed him real good."

Gaines is trying to get acquainted with his stud, MR Jay Bar Cat. After all, this is just the third show the two have worked together.

"I'm still a little nervous on that horse," Gaines said. "He can be as good as anything that goes down there, but I still feel a bit of green-ness in him. I never really am sure about how he's going to be."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 114.