When the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel wrapped up inside Oklahoma City’s new OG&E Coliseum on June 21, the moment carried more weight than a typical championship night. History was being written, and Casey Deary and Customize My Dream were the pair who stepped into it.
With NRHA Open Derby champions crowned for the first time in the new venue, Deary piloted the six-year-old stallion to the NRHA Level 4 Open Derby Championship, delivering a performance that rose above one of the deepest finals fields the Derby has seen.
The Level 4 Open finals showcased the sport at its highest level. A 226 was required to crack the Top 10, and 25 of the 33 runs earned scores of 220 or better. In a pen filled with elite horses and accomplished riders, consistency and execution mattered more than ever.
Drawing last, Deary and Customize My Dream met the moment head-on. The run was powerful without being rushed, precise without being forced, and confident from start to finish. Their score of 233.5 sealed the win and closed out the aged-event portion of the Derby.
The victory earned $100,000, including nominator incentives, for owner and breeder Devin Warren, whose program has played a central role in the stallion’s development.
Customize My Dream is by NRHA Hall of Famer Magnum Chic Dream and out of Gunna Be Custom (Gunner x Custom Made Dunit), a mare whose offspring earnings continue to climb toward the million-dollar mark. Warren started the horse and showed him through the early part of his three-year-old season before Deary took over the reins.
The win carried added significance for Deary, who earlier in the week had multiple standout performances. Customize My Dream tied for third in the preliminaries with a 228, while his full brother Custom Dreams won the first round outright with a 229.5. Custom Dreams went on to finish fifth in the Level 4 Open finals, and Deary also advanced Pale Face Vintage to the finals, rounding out a strong showing across the board.
Beyond the scores and payouts, the night was meaningful on a personal level. Customize My Dream was raised by the Warren family, and Deary has been vocal about what it meant to deliver a major title for them on a horse bred, started, and believed in at home. The atmosphere inside the Coliseum reflected that sentiment, with the crowd firmly behind the pair as they completed their run.
For Deary, the win also marked a milestone in a journey that began years earlier. Customize My Dream was the 2022 NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity Reserve Champion, and since then, the pair has been competitive at the sport’s highest levels, including top finishes at events like The Run For A Million, the 100X Reining Classic, and the National Reining Breeders Classic. The Derby title was the piece still missing.
Now boasting more than $400,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings, Customize My Dream continues to prove himself as both a top competitor and a cornerstone of Deary’s program.
As the 2025 season continues, Deary remains focused on keeping his horses happy, sound, and progressing naturally. With a strong string behind him and major events still ahead, the Oklahoma City win stands as both a defining moment and a reminder of what patience, preparation, and the right horse can produce when it all comes together.
