Page 46 - February 2016 Speedhorse

Heza dasHa fire si 105, $1,689,388
World Champion, Champion Three Year Old, Champion Three-Year-Old Gelding
First Down Dash
Walk Thru Fire
Sweet Beduino
Dash For Cash
First Prize Rose
Beduino TB
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet Rose Bug Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat Game Plan Sweet Feast
Streakin Six Bottom’s Up Sinn Fein
Legs La Scoop Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Special Effort Easy Kiss
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck
Leo Jewel
Lady Bug’s Moon Casco Rose
Grey Sovereign Romany Belle Rejected
Quick Eye
Easy Jet
Go Maggie Go Leo Feast
Cherry Sweet
Easy Six
Miss Assured
Raise Your Glass TB La Jolla
Three Oh’s Vansarita Too Scooper Chick
La Ferne
Rocket Bar TB
Go Galla Go
To Market
Hide And Seek Raise Your Glass TB Go Effortlessly Easy Jet
Cute Kiss
Three Bars Golden Rocket Go Man Go
La Galla Win Market Wise Pretty Does Alibhai
Scattered
Moon Deck
Miss Night Bar Leo
Linda Jewel
Top Moon
FL Lady Bug Levan
Prissy Hankins Nasrullah
Kong
Vilmorin
Romany Chi Revoked
By Line
Depth Charge Eye To Eye
Jet Deck
Lena’s Bar
Go Man Go Maggie Mcgowan Feast TB
Kay Cindy Leo Custus Rastus TB Cherry Chub
Easy Jet
Peggy Toro
Little Request TB Assured
Raise A Native Champagne Woman
St Bar
Top Pretty TB
Three Chicks OhMyOh
Vandy Garrettsmisspawhuska Triple Chick
Scoop Bam Quicksilver King
Nikita
Three Bars
Golden Rocket
Go Man Go
La Galla Win
Market Wise
Pretty Does
Alibhai
Scattered
Raise A Native Champagne Woman Double Devil
Hijo Beauty TB
Jet Deck
Lena’s Bar TB
Go Man Go
Cute Trick
Sweet Game HEzA DASHA FiRE, ‘12, g.
Mr Jess Perry
Dasha Freda
Fearless Freda
Streakin La Jolla
Scoopie Fein
Dash For Cash
Such An Easy Effort
Breeder/Owner: S-Quarter K, LLC Trainer: Jose Antonio Flores Jockey: Cruz Mendez
2015 Record: 5-5(3)-0-0, $726,432, Los Alamitos Super D.-G1, Champ. Of Champ.-G1, Golden State D.-G2
When it came time to announce the 2015 World Champion, Kathy and Don Meneely had run out of words. They had already accepted several trophies for Heza Dasha Fire, along with others for his half-brother Ima Fearless Hero.
As they approached the World Championship trophy, they spoke from the heart.
“We’ve had an incredible year, and this is the culmination of it,” said Kathy.
Added Don: “This is off the charts. I’ll never forget this. This is unbelievable.”
Heza Dasha Fire never put a foot wrong during 2015. He won every time trainer Jose Flores saddled him, whether in a trial, a derby, or against older horses.
The Meneelys and their son, Shawn, bred Heza Dasha Fire in the name of their S-Quarter K LLC from their outstanding mare Dasha Freda. They bred her to the stallion Walk Thru Fire, who stands at Steve Burns’ Burns Ranch in Menifee, California, but Heza Dasha Fire was foaled in Washington.
That is a critical point for bragging rights because during 2015, Heza Dasha Fire not only became the all-time leading Washington-bred Quarter Horse, he surpassed Saratoga Passage, at $800,212 the all-time leading Washington-bred Thoroughbred. At year’s end, Heza Dasha Fire had collected $1,689,388, with $726,432 of that coming during 2015.
Following his 2-year-old season in 2014 when he was named Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding, Heza Dasha Fire received some R&R at Dr. Rick and Mindy Overly’s Lazy Creek Ranch in Murrieta, California.
“Lazy Creek Ranch did a great job taking care of Heza Dasha Fire,” said Don. “I felt like they gave him the best care in the world.”
Heza Dasha Fire returned to trainer Jose Flores’ Los Alamitos barn, and Flores decided to adjust the gelding’s diet.
“He lost some weight towards the end of the year,” said Flores, “and I think that may have hurt him late in the year.”
Flores brought Heza Dasha Fire back slowly. He and his team worked him twice short and then once at 350 yards.
“He’s the kind of horse that tells you when he’s ready,” said the trainer. “He’s more bouncy, more on the muscle.”
The announcement of the 2015 World Champion Heza Dasha Fire
44 SPEEDHORSE, February 2016