Matt Gaines and Nu I Wood never could put together that impeccable week in the Augusta Futurity.

Matt Gaines and Nu I Wood scored a 223.0 to win Classic Open 5/6 year-old Finals. Patrick King

Two years ago, the two lost a cow in the Futurity Open finals. Last year, the pair lost a cow in the second go-round of the Classic Open.

This time around, though, Gaines and his 6-year-old mare finally got it right. The pair marked 223 early in the Classic Open finals and held on for a two-point victory in the 24th annual Augusta Futurity at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center on Saturday night.

"I finally put good cows in front of her all three rounds," Gaines said. "That's been the difference. Every time before, I either lost a cow or something like that has happened and kept me from being successful. This time around, we got through it."

Gaines, of Weatherford, Texas, and Nu I Wood rung up 225 in the first go-round and entered the finals with the top aggregate score of 444. When the two showed well a third time, it gave Gaines, who has accumulated more than $2.3 million in National Cutting Horse Association career earnings, his first Augusta win.

"I'm just glad to get a win of some kind here," he said.

Gaines collected $26,202 with the win. Randy Cherry of Whitt, Texas, finished second on Pepto Taz with 221 for $18,594, and Roger Wagner of Weatherford, Texas, and Smart Little Glo placed third (220, $14,368).

Gaines started training Nu I Wood, a 6-year-old mare by Zack T Wood out of Baby Nu Bar, when she was 3. Nu I Wood, owned by the Crystal Creek Ranch, has earned more than $300,000 but didn't fare well in Augusta until Saturday night.

"I'm just real proud of that mare," Gaines said. "She's been good for three years, and she just keeps getting better."

Cherry rode first in the 23-horse competition and posted his big score, and Austin Shepard and Smart Little Sprat appeared to be putting together a spectacular run until they lost a cow with 10 seconds remaining. Then, Gaines and Nu I Wood rode third.

"The first cow I cut shut up and let us get started good and let my mare kind of get in sync," Gaines said. "The second cow was a little tougher. She likes it that way; she's better that way. I got to kick her across the pen and make her hit some good, hard stops. She really got tighter there."

No rider or horse threatened to top Gaines' score until Neely and Smart Little Glo put together a solid run in the 22nd hole.

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