PASO ROBLES — In a thrilling finish, Todd Crawford and Sinful Cat delivered a big fence work score when they needed it most to clinch the newly renamed Jack and Phoebe Cooke National Reined Cow Horse Association Derby Open Championship and win a check for $32,742.

This year’s NRCHA Derby, held June 12-17 at the Paso Robles Events Center, featured 4- and 5-year-olds by NRCHA Subscribed Stallions competing in snaffle bits and hackamores. The competition includes many of the top Snaffle Bit Futurity horses from the previous year, as well as those who might not have been ready for the Futurity, but who are now able to perform competitively.

Crawford and Sinful Cat began their finals performance with a less-than-ideal 216.5 herd work score, then built some momentum in the reined work, marking a 220. Finally, the clutch performance in the cow work netted a 224, the highest score of the finals round.

The 660.5 composite represented a major breakthrough in Sinful Cat’s career. Although Crawford describes the 4-year-old stallion as “probably the best horse I ever trained,” the fancy sorrel hasn’t been able to catch a break in the show pen.

“He just hasn’t had the best luck showing,” said Crawford. “I lost a cow in the Snaffle Bit Futurity finals, and then he comes back and marks a 221 in the reining and 219 down the fence. He was third at the Circle Y Derby this year. He’s always been there, he just hasn’t been on top.”

Until now.

Crawford started training Sinful Cat, who is by WR This Cats Smart out of Sinful Playgirl, a Freckles Playboy mare, early in his 2-year-old year. The horse originally was destined to be a Non Pro horse for his owner, but he showed more promise as an open competitor.

More online: See website http://bit.ly/27A_NRCHA