Riding Whizs Chic A Dee, a stallion by West Coast Whiz and out of Chic A Dee Hickory by Smart Chic Olena, Flarida commanded the event with a big 229.5 score – quite an accomplishment this early in the fall futurity season.

“When he called me, he had to repeat the score about five times before I could believe what I was hearing,” Michele Flarida said happily. “That’s just incredible for this time of year.”

Shawn was very pleased with the performance, calling Whizs Chic A Dee, which is owned by Arcese Quarter Horses, “just really, really kind.”

Flarida put $11,952 on his earnings record, as he chips away at the money he needs to become the first rider to ever make $3 million in NRHA earnings. The Open Futurity paycheck narrows that margin to $87,060.97. Add to that the nearly $2,800 he won in the concurrently-run Mid-America Open Futurity (a closed event for horses sold through Mid-America Equine Sales) on Megas Sugar Baby, the needed money goes down to a little more than $84,000.

“It was a great show,” Flarida said after the event, which he has now won three years in a row. “I always enjoy coming to Tulsa, and my horse was great. He’s so sweet, and he’s just the same every day. I’ve got him and two more at home that are really looking good for this year.”

Next weekend, Flarida will head to The Tradition show in his hometown of Springfield, Ill., and he will show Whizs Chic A Dee again at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in October.