He was already a NRCHA Million Dollar Sire, and now Nu Cash (Colonel Freckles x Nu Rendition x Nu Bar) has joined his late owners, Ralph and Mickey Gragg, and his legendary trainer, Ted Robinson, in the NRCHA Hall of Fame.
Robinson purchased the 1984 stallion for the Graggs as a yearling. In 1987, Nu Cash carried Robinson to his first Snaffle Bit Futurity Championship. He also is the only Futurity Open Champion to sire three Futurity Open Champions. Robinson credits Nu Cash for his own unprecedented success in the reined cow horse industry, which includes more than $1.8 million in NRCHA earnings, two World’s Greatest Horseman titles, and a record seven Snaffle Bit Futurity Championships.
“Almost all my winnings have been on a Nu Cash,” Robinson said. “What he did for me, and for the cow horse industry, helped me build my whole facility. He also helped the Graggs, by making their lives longer and more fulfilling.”
Robinson piloted Nu Cash to more than $100,000 in reined cow horse and cutting money. After the stallion’s retirement from the show arena at age 7, Robinson continued to manage his breeding career. Nu Cash sired more than 180 performers with nearly $2.1 million earned in reined cow horse, cutting, reining, roping, barrel racing, and even halter competition.
With Nu Cash offspring under his saddle, Robinson dominated the reined cow horse arena. He claimed the 1995, 1996 and 1997 Snaffle Bit Futurity Championships riding The Nu Colonel (Nu Cash x Docs Malbeckin x Docs Malbec), then Shesa Lota Cash (Nu Cash x Snip Gay Bar x Gay Bar King), and finally Smart Little Cash (Nu Cash x Lil Miss Smarty Chex x Smart Little Lena). Robinson’s 2005 Snaffle Bit Futurity title came aboard a Nu Cash grandson, Nu Circle Of Light (Nu Circle N Cash x Katie Starlight x Grays Starlight). Nu Cash became a NRCHA Million Dollar Sire in 2003.
“At one time in my life, if it wasn’t a Nu Cash, I wouldn’t ride it, because I backed that program so hard. The Nu Cash deal – I knew it by heart. I had a lot of full siblings and I knew the groove, all the way around,” Robinson said.
Nu Cash eventually became sterile, settling his last mare in 2001. He continued to reign supreme at Robinson’s Oak View, Calif.,, facility for more than a decade. “He lived right outside my bedroom. He was the first thing I saw when I looked out the window. When you led mares by, he’d still trot the fence and kick up and act like he was a stud,” Robinson said.
Nu Cash underwent lifesaving colic surgery in June 2011. After the procedure, he enjoyed another year-plus of retirement before kidney failure finally ended his life Oct. 5, 2012, at age 28.
“When I look back on what he did – what I own today, the career – and think about one horse doing it all. You don’t grasp it when you’re going through it, but when it’s all over and you look at the history, it’s a big step,” Robinson said.
