The 2026 Ruby Buckle Central, the American West Final Contender Regional and Derby Days Ocala headline this week’s episode of The Rundown on The Money Barrel, covering one of the biggest payout weeks of the year in Guthrie alongside the next round of American Rodeo qualifiers and a packed weekend of futurity, derby and ProRodeo movement.
From Heidi Gunderson and Wonder If Im Lucky’s Derby and Open sweep at the Lazy E to Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi’s Futurity 1D Average on her family’s homebred Blazzin The Way, Devon Brown’s Open Only sweep on Iknowimblazinfast and Katie Chism’s Cheyenne-clinching American Royal win, this week’s episode of The Rundown, presented by Chewy, breaks down the biggest results from the Lazy E and beyond.
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Ruby Buckle Central (Guthrie, Oklahoma)
$1.31 million paid out across the week at the Lazy E Arena, with the Derby, Open, Futurity, Youth, Owner/Rider, Sale Grad and 5D averages plus the Ruby Buckle Sale all running through the same week.
Derby & Open Champion (16.693, fastest of the meet):Heidi Gunderson & Wonder If Im Lucky Futurity 1D Average:Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi & Blazzin The Way Open Only Average (back-to-back 16.9s, 1,200+ entries):Devon Brown & Iknowimblazinfast Youth Average:Macey Rae Moore & JD Jackson Kandyman Owner/Rider Round 1 (16.799):Carlee Otero & AM Regina George Owner/Rider Round 2 (16.711):Taylor Miniat & Love Lane Sale Grad Average:Kinsley Swepston & Same Girl Same
5D average breakdown:
2D ($12,000 to rider + $1,500 each to breeder and stud owner):Morgan Bagnell & Sir Epic 3D:Shari Taggert & Lethal Sis 4D:João Leão & BR Gals Last Leader 5D:Elisabeth Geisler & Tyme Flies Derby Round 1 pedigree note:the top 12 came from 12 different sires and 12 different broodmare sires, the deepest split the race has shown. High Sale ($250,000):BPH Theskyisthelimit, by Dash Ta Fame out of Silky French Pie (FG), to buyer Josh Andrews from seller Taylor Necaise. Ruby Buckle South Jordan entries are due May 11.
American West Final Contender Regional
71 barrel racers competed for five spots into The American Rodeo, with two go-rounds plus a redemption round.
Round 1:Jana Bean & Vizion Round 2:Taylor Armenta & Hes Got Cat Style Average Champion ($4,175):Blake Molle & Wildchildsgotcashuno Redemption Round: Hailey Krahenbuhl & Saaul Good — $2,200 Autumn Snyder & Frenchmen Returns — $1,320 Jordynn Knight & Dashing French Belle — $880 Wildchildsgotcashuno and Frenchmen Returns (trained by Joy Wargo) advance to Finals Night.
Derby Days (Ocala, Florida)
$88,000-added at Brandon Perdue’s three-day production, with the $1,000-added Limited Rider 4D running Friday for riders under $25K in lifetime earnings.
Christine DeRenezo & My Flashy Jess:Open Average + Derby Average + $5K Triple Crown sidepot win, second in the $25K Future Fortunes sidepot, $10K+ on the weekend. Saturday Open Champion (486 horses):Jordan Harrel & DP Blazin Jess Sunday Open Champion (358 horses, 13.890):Blaise Wheeler & Felice Seis Limited Rider 4D (176 entries): 1D — Laura DeSilva Brown & Guysrealstreaknfling — $1,108 2D — McKenna Carson & Smartys Diablo — $831 3D — Ellen Lassere & Squirrels Stl Rally — $554 4D — Deena Lowery ProRodeo Roundup
American Royal (Kansas City, Missouri) — Cheyenne Frontier Days qualifier:
Katie Chism & MF Aces Famous Fling — $3,487 LaTricia Duke — $2,790 Alona James — 3rd Other rodeo movement: Mineral Wells, Texas (Fort Smith qualifier): Sissy Winn & Scoop Clovis, New Mexico: Sydney Graham & Trump Guymon, Oklahoma: Alyssa Urbanek-Wade & FeelinWillieWicked — $4,286 Devon Brown and Otis backed up the Ruby Buckle Open Only sweep with a 2nd at Clovis and 3rd at Guymon earlier in the week.
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