Down Right Amazing & Casey Deary Take On $1 Million Pursuit

For the second year in a row, Down Right Amazing and Casey Deary left the crowd at the National Reining Breeder’s Classic (NRBC) on its feet. The duo has been a dominating force in the reining world for about two years now, and they aren’t looking to stop anytime soon.

Deary and the 2017 sorrel stallion had just come off of another huge win, raking in their second The American Performance Horseman (TAPH) Individual reining championship, and their first TAPH Team championship.

The prize money from the NRBC Championship pushed Down Right Amazing (Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner) x Shesouttayourleague x Walla Walla Whiz) to the title of second-highest earning reining horse of all time, according to EquiStat. He sits a mere $3,000 behind Patriot (Smart Spook x Dunit A Lil Ruf x Lil Ruf Peppy), winner of the Million Dollar Competition at the 2022 The Run For A Million. Although this year will bring the end of Down Right Amazing’s derby career, events like The Run For A Million and TAPH don’t put an age cap on competitors horses. With another good showing, “Amazing” could easily become the National Reining Horse Association’s all-time leading money earner, but Deary has his sights set on an even greater achievement.

“I would love to get that horse over $1 million,” Deary said. “I don’t know if I can do that or not. I would say that if any horse has the possibility, as pure as he showed for me in the finals there, the [2024 NRHA] Derby is still an option and I haven’t ruled out The Run For A Million.”

The stallion has almost solely been shown at major events, but the horse by EquiStat all-time leading reining horse sire Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner) has grown smarter with age.

Casey Deary and Down Right Amazing at the NRBC in 2023. * Photo by Waltenberry

“It is very unusual for one to make as many hard runs as he has, and still remain pure,” said Deary, an EquiStat Elite $4 Million Rider. “So, between The American and the NRBC I schooled him a few times and changed a few things, and you know that’s part of maintaining the longevity of these reining horses—[it] is keeping them from outsmarting you.”

NRBC Competitors

Although Deary said their preliminary NRBC run was far from perfect, the 223 they scored was enough to make the final round. His other two mounts for the NRBC Open Classic are full brothers, Custom Dreams and Customize My Dream, pulled checks from the prelims and advanced to the finals as well.

“My goal when I get there is to tie myself a three-way tie for first place,” Deary said about having multiple horses in the finals. “I don’t really share well, so that would’ve been ideal.”

Deary didn’t quite reach his goal of a three-way tie, however, his horses did end up in two of the top slots when all was said and done. Custom Dreams (Magnum Chic Dream x Gunna Be Custom x Gunner) tied Dust Off Ya Gunns (Gunnatrashya x One Mighty Aphrodite x Conquistador Whiz) and Peter DeFreitas for the Reserve Champion and a $52,500 check with a score of 226.5. Deary’s other finalist, Customize My Dream (Magnum Chic Dream x Gunna Be Custom x Gunner) marked a 220.5 to take home $9,500 for owner and breeder Devin Warren.

After working through their kinks earlier in the show, Deary and Down Right Amazing did not disappoint. The pair came in guns blazing and marked a 227 to take home the $100,000 prize for the championship.

What’s Next? Down Right Amazing with Nicole Deary and some fans at The Run For A Million. * QHN File Photo

Down Right Amazing has other duties to attend to in addition to showing. For the second year in a row he is standing at Oswood Stallion Station for owner Deborah Good’s DAG Ventures. Although breeding season doesn’t usually interfere with his show schedule—he has only been offered via frozen semen)—this year, they have nearly run out of frozen semen to breed with due to the number of mare owners wanting to breed their stock with Amazing.

So, in the next few weeks, Amazing will go back to Oswood Stallion Station to be collected for more breedings. As long as Amazing stays sound of mind and body, it seems very possible he could be the first reining horse to ever cross $1 Million in earnings.

The NRHA Derby paid out $100,000 to Down Right Amazing during his win in 2023, which would be a good boost to his earnings if he won again. There are plenty of other opportunities to meet the $1 million goal in the upcoming year. The Run For A Million pays out $500,000 to the winner and also issues substantial checks to the closest pursuers. The 100X Shows have also added to their slate of high dollar competitions and offer Open Shootout classes as well as maturity classes.