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Flynn wins Classic Open
By Chris Gay
Staff Writer
Sean Flynn did something nobody else could do all week in the Classic Open.
He knocked Ronnie Rice out of first place.
In only his second Augusta Futurity appearance, Flynn and Purdy Aristocrat marked a dominating 223.5 and overcame Rice to win the Classic Open finals Friday night. Flynn collected $21,445 with the victory.
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Sean Flynn on Purdy Aristocrat won the 5/6-Year-Old Open Division with a score of 223.5.
Jeff Barnes
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"We just wanted to get shown the best we could and obviously pick up the best check we could get," Flynn said.
Matt Gaines had an impressive run on Hyadualin and tied Rice and Squeaky Clean for the reserve championship at 221. Gaines and Rice each collected $14,283 for their second-place finishes.
Rice and Squeaky Clean, a 5-year-old stallion, by Squeak Toy out of Dolly Playgirl, tied for the first go-round lead with a 222 and won the second go with an aggressive 221. But Friday night, Rice could not muster enough magic out of the horse for a big run.
"He got crippled up on me today," Rice said. "The first cow, he just wasn't himself. He got back on the next two cows and was real good."
Still, Rice took the lead on the fifth run of the 21-horse finals. No rider came close to Rice's score until Flynn's brother Eddie, riding 13th, marked a 219 on BR Instant Replay.
One run later, Sean Flynn, of Bridgeport, Texas, grabbed the lead away from Rice by impressively cutting a pair of cows.
"This mare is capable of winning any time," Flynn said. "It's a matter of if everything fits. She was good through the rounds. She's been good all week. With any of these 5-6-year-old deals, it's a matter of who's best on that night. Any one of the horses that makes the finals is capable of winning."
Purdy Aristocrat, a 6-year-old mare by Smart Aristocrat out of Purdy Pistol, is owned by Jack and Susan Waggoner, of Bridgeport, Texas. She and Flynn marked a 218 and a 219 in the go-rounds.
After Flynn's run, 2000 Classic Open champion Lloyd Cox and 2001 Classic Open champion Faron Hightower ran back-to-back. Cox never threatened Flynn as he lost a cow. Hightower had a solid run, but managed to post just a 216.5.
Riding 17th, Gaines and Hyadualin put together a rousing performance. But the two couldn't overcome Flynn.
"You don't go down there cutting against (Flynn's score)," Gaines said. "My competition is the cows. ... If things would've went just right, yeah I could've beat him. So could the other 20 guys that were in the finals, too. But tonight was (Flynn's) night. Hell, I'm just happy to be second."
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