$100K Is Twice As Nice For Lacey Donegan Harmon

$100K Is Twice As Nice For Lacey Donegan Harmon

Lacey Donegan Harmon has found success this year in the barrel racing futurities by winning $100K twice.

Feb 23, 2017 by Cassie Emerson Emerson
$100K Is Twice As Nice For Lacey Donegan Harmon
The Donegan family's interest in the barrel futurity world began nine years ago with a big decision.

Despite being a talented breakaway roper with several college offers, Lacey Donegan Harmon told her parents that she wanted to raise and train futurity horses. And as crazy as it may sound, not going to college may have been the smartest choice she could make for her career.

I was not really feeling it anymore," Donegan Harmon said. "At that point in my life I thought it would be really cool to train some futurity horses. We had already bought some colts just to have around and it just all fell into place.
After several years of hard work to raise horses with the right bloodlines and disposition to fit Donegan Harmon's riding style, the Donegan family can finally say that they are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel after seeing Lacey win a pair of $100,000 slot races in the past 2 1/2 months.

At the Barrel Futurities of America (BFA) World Championship's $uper$takes Race in Oklahoma City in December, Donegan Harmon crossed a major goal off her bucket list on the futurity industry's biggest stage -- winning a slot race. Not only did Donegan-Harmon ride 4-year-old black mare Flashin Flitter in less than 16 seconds to the victory, but she also cashed in over $100,000.

Fast forward 2 1/2 months and Donegan Harmon once again found herself at the top of the leaderboard at another salty slot race. Donegan Harmon rode Just The Way You Are to the victory at the Invitational LG Pro Classic Closed Sale Futurity Slot Race in Kinder, Louisiana, on Sunday. The invitational race was only open to 4-year-old graduates of the Lance Graves Pro Classic Sale.

"Bruno," as they affectionately call the stocky sorrel gelding, is by Roosters Fame and out of Streakin Scar Cat.

"Unlike my black mare, Bruno is a complete pet," Donegan Harmon. "He loves people and he is very laid back and just goes with the flow."

Both "Bruno" and "Lucky" (Flashin Flitter) are products of the Donegan family's hard work and passion for the barrel futurity world over the years.

Bruno's grandmother is Wimpitas Scat Cat and she was the horse that taught me what it was like to win!" Donegan Harmon said. "She was probably the most amazing horse that I will ever ride. We bought her from the Dube family. Jackie had won a lot on her, and soon after we had bought her she went blind in her left eye.
Though the talented mare lost sight in one of her eyes, it didn't slow her down from her winning ways. Donegan Harmon won many prestigious titles on Wimpitas Scat Cat, including the Dixie Nationals when she was only 8 years old. The iconic team of Martha Josey and Orange Smash won second behind Donegan Harmon and the one-eyed wonder.

Up against some of the industry's best the invitational slot race in Kinder, Donegan Harmon and "Bruno" ran a 14.742 in the long go, which put them fifth in the round. Going into the finals, Donegan Harmon felt confident in her game plan.

"Our run in the slot race finals was absolutely flawless," she said. "He fired so hard and turned so smooth. If you have a horse that will run out the gate in that pen, you will be in the money. The alleyway is black walls with a short stop and a lot of horses don't like it too much. Bruno, on the other hand, just flew through there. It didn't faze him one bit."

Posting an insanely fast time of 14.185, Donegan Harmon 2D'd the rest of the finalists to earn another $100,000 prize. The next closest time was Ryann Pedone and Tres Ducks In A Row's time of 14.786.

"It is absolutely amazing and I feel so blessed," Donegan Harmon said. "It has been something that I have dreamt of since before I can remember, and I cannot believe that it is real. It is so fun to see years and years of history and family work come together. Everyone in my family has played a huge role in my success, and I am very grateful for all of them."

By Hope Raley

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