Inside Select Genes' 2026 Breeding Season
- Maleah Walker
- Apr 26
- 3 min read
Updated: May 6
In cutting's most competitive era, the bottom side matters more than ever. Select Genes puts the industry's best broodmares on the open market — and the program's 2026 crosses speak for themselves.
Smart Kitty RG Booked Full: Stevie Rey Von & LBR Hangem
It's no surprise that Smart Kitty RG is booked full. The High Brow Cat daughter earned $211,383, claimed NCHA Open Futurity Reserve Champion honors, and made multiple NCHA Super Stakes Open Classic finals. Her $342,351 in progeny earnings so far is only the beginning. Her 2026 books include $26 million sire Stevie Rey Von and the newest NCHA Hall of Fame inductee, LBR Hangem, who just last month won the Super Stakes by a huge margin. This mare is the intersection of pedigree depth and proven production and her demand reflects it.
Play Corn Booked to Metallic Cat
Look no further than Republicat for proof of what this cross can do. Republicat, by Metallic Cat out of Play Corn, was the Reno Reined Cow Horse Open Futurity Champion, earning $76,040 as a finalist in the NRCHA Open Futurity under $1.9 million rider Nick Dowers. It's not a promising cross, it’s a proven one. Play Corn herself earned $173,277 as one of the top-performing daughters of Playgun, a stallion who earned $183,538, sired over $10 million, and produced the dams of over $17 million in earnings. Her dam Bobcorn earned $154,809 and has produced over $1 million. Play Corn's own progeny earnings now stand at $305,654, with high profile crosses still making their way to the pen in the coming years.
Sho Boat Booked to Once In A Blu Boon
Sho Boat, by Metallic Rebel out of Reycy Moon, has earned $270,000 in the cutting so far. She is still actively showing in the open under Lloyd Cox and just beginning her career as a producer. She’s got all the pieces to follow in the footsteps of her dam Reycy Moon, the earner of $209,363 and producer of $1.3 million including an NCHA Open Futurity Champion. Her 2026 breeding to $16 million sire Once In A Blu Boon is exactly the type of cross that will kickstart her own path to $1 million in progeny earnings.
Stylish Lizzie Booked to Third Edge
With $243,316 in progeny earnings and a trip to the NCHA Limited Open Futurity Finals, Stylish Lizzie's credentials are strong. Her pedigree just seals the deal. She's by Lizzys Gotta Player out of Moms Stylish Babe, making her a full sibling to NCHA Open World Champion Gelding and NCHA Open Super Stakes Champion Moms Stylish Player ($431,682), Card Tick ($191,664), and My Lizzy Babe ($174,159) who produced NCHA Open World Champion Metallics MVP who earned $345,159. Stylish Lizzie comes from a line of million dollar producers with her first dam producing $1.59 million and her second dam producing $1.15 million. Her 2026 cross with NCHA Horse of the Year Third Edge is one we can't wait to watch in the pen.
Ms Baby Cakes Booked to LBR Hangem
The multiple-time aged event Open Champion Ms Baby Cakes earned $227,720 and won the NCHA Open Futurity first go and was an NCHA Open Futurity Finalist under Lloyd Cox. Like her sire Metallic Cat, her dam Special Nu Baby also needs little introduction: with $482,061 earned, $1.8 million produced and the NCHA Open World Championship under her belt, this NCHA World Champion Mare is one of the greatest cutting mares of all time. Ms Baby Cakes is a young producer with $96,279 in progeny earnings, but her 2026 booking to newly inducted NCHA Hall of Famer LBR Hangem is exactly the kind of cross that turns a promising producer into a great one in a hurry.
The 2026 season is still unfolding and these foals' stories are just beginning, but the mare power behind these crosses doesn't leave much to chance. Secure your custom aspiration or embryo today at select-genes.com
