Gunnabegreatagain secured one of the first big paydays doled out at the 2026 NRHA Derby, winning the Tamarack Ranch 4-year-old Level 4 Stakes with Kaci O’Rourke at the wheel, earning $32,554 with a score of 225.5.
And the best part? They have a chance to earn even more with their Level 4 Derby Finals qualification, which with take place Saturday, June 20, in the OE&G Coliseum in Oklahoma City.
Check out the full list of derby finalists here.
The success was the confirmation of O’Rourke’s gut feeling. The stallion called “Erik” in the barn had all the parts to be a successful high-level reiner.
“My husband, Jack [Daniels], and I picked him out as a yearling, O’Rourke said. “He had a tremendous lope in the round pen, and it was a cross that we thought would work and believed in. Jack started him, and pretty early on it looked like he was going to be a really good horse. He comes off as being quiet, but when you ask something of him, he gives you a lot.”
The making of Gunnabegreatagain
Erik was bred by Samantha Tully, and is sired by Gunnatrashya, who’s progeny have gone on to make him the NRHA’s first $16 million sire. His dam is Jills Remedy, a mare sired by Very Smart Remedy and out of Shining Spark mare Shiners Diamond Girl. Erik’s half-sibling have competed in the reined cow horse pen and the ranch events.
As a 2-year-old, the O’Rourke and Daniels sold Erik to Peter and Courtney Morgan.
“We knew we wanted him to stay in the barn because he was a really special kind of horse,” O’Rourke said. “I started riding him the beginning of his 3-year-old year and he was really broke. But he ran into a bit of bad luck, I had made the Congress [futurity finals] and he got sick with Salmonella.”
Erik’s stay at the vet coupled with his recovery had him behind for the 2025 NRHA Futurity, despite his solid mind and maneuvers. They finished No. 19 in the Level 4 finals with a score of 220.5, earning $25,000.
“This year he came back stronger, better,” O’Rourke said. “I showed him at the NRBC and he was great. I had a turn penalty both ways on him and he was a 221, so he would have been 224; I just cruised him through to see what he felt like.”
2026 NRHA Derby
Coming to Oklahoma City for the Derby, O’Rourke was just focused on making the finals on Erik. Together, they marked a 225.5 on the second day of open preliminaries, finished No. 3 overall in the level 4 and winning the Tamarack Ranch 4-Year-Old Stakes, which runs concurrently with the preliminary round.
“He warmed up great for me and gave me a really good feeling,” O’Rourke said. “He couldn’t have felt more relaxed. I got him turned well, but a couple of judges gave me a half-point turn penalty the first turn. When I loped off, I didn’t try to go crazy, but I wanted to show off his circles. When he came back on the first slowdown to the right, I knew he was totally hooked. It’s like going for a trail ride on the small, slow circles with him.”
The pair were fifth out on the dirt, meaning O’Rourke had to be selective on where they stopped to give the stallion the best chance at showing off his stopping ability.
“He let me point him exactly where I wanted him to go in the stops,” O’Rourke said. “I didn’t know how they’d mark us, but when I heard the score, I knew we had a good show at the Stakes.”
Now, O’Rourke is focused on the Derby Finals, where they’ll compete again on Saturday evening for a chance at even more money and glory.
Following the Derby, the 100x Tulsa Reining Classic is on their calendar, where they plan to capitalize on the stakes class again.
Tamarack Ranch 4-Year-Old Open Stakes Champions
| Level | Horse | Rider | Owner | Score | Earnings |
| Level 4 | Gunnabegreatagain | Kaci J. O’Rourke | Peter A Morgan / Courtney R Morgan | 225.5 | $32,554 |
| Level 3, 2, 1 | Snow Cone | Edouard Winne | Equine Plus | 221.5 | $20,622 |
| Level 3, 2 | Raya Whiz | Mathieu Buton | Mathieu & Angela Buton | 221.5 | $15,611 |