Page 43 - December 2016

Making The Big Time
In 2012, those breedings paid off when Dasha Freda produced Heza Dasha Fire, by Walk Thru Fire. His first year out, he won the Ed Burke Million Futurity G-1 and the Golden State Million Futurity-G1, and placed fourth in the Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1. As a three year old, he won the Golden State Derby-G2, the Los Alamitos Super Derby-G1, and the Champion of Champions-G1, and was named the 2015 AQHA World Champion, Champion 3 Year Old and Champion 3-Year- Old Gelding.
Also in 2015, Dasha Freda’s 2-year-old son Ima Fearless Hero, by Valiant Hero, won six of eight starts with one second and one third place finish, racking up $982,699 in earnings and the AQHA World Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding title.
The half-brothers’ phenomenal performances earned AQHA Dam of Distinction honors for Dasha Freda and AQHA Champion Breeder honors for S-Quarter K LLC.
Building on their stellar year, in 2016, Heza Dash Fire won the Go Man Go Handicap-G1 and Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship-G1 and was second in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship
Stakes-G1. After three years on the track, Heza Dasha Fire’s record stands at 16-13-2-0 with $1,822,737 in earnings. Ima Fearless Hero finished the year at 13-7-2-2, with $1,045,182.
“Kathy determines pretty much who we’re going to breed our mares to,” Don says. “I’m the spreadsheet guy who needs solid numbers.”
“Heza Dasha Fire and Ima Fearless Hero have allowed us to continue on with our plans,” says Kathy. “Don always said the horses have to support themselves, and we were down to the nitty gritty of, Do we or don’t we. Now, we’re set to be able to get some breeding stock.
Kathy sees their biggest challenge — and
the challenge of anyone in the business, really — as picking the right stallion and having it
be a good, successful cross. “I think it’s hard
for owners to be successful,” she says. “I guess that’s why the government considers raising
race horses a hobby instead of a business. With $50–60 a day for training, and the vet work and the farrier and so on, it’s easy to see from the prices the horses bring at the sales that raising horses isn’t always a profitable business. But, we love it and we continue to do it even when we lose money.”
Being a World Champion owner has been a goal for Kathy forever
Kathy with World Champion producer Dasha Freda (left) and Ima Chickie Two (right), her first homebred stakes winner.
Family & Business Goals
In spite of their success with the horses, friends and Don and Kathy themselves
a
Kathy says that although neither Shawn nor his younger brother, Brian, has taken an active role in the horse operation, she’s working on Brian’s sons: Michael, 7, and Wynn, 4. “I’m getting them interested in riding,” she smiles. But despite being mostly hands-off in the day- to-day operation, Shawn and Brian are fully supportive of Don and Kathy’s goals.
“Kathy was a trainer here for many years, running her homebred horses,” says their friend Lisa. “She’d take care of home life, gallop and pony her horses herself, and train and run them. She was talented in all aspects of the business and very dedicated to what she’d chosen to do. Don’s been supportive. He’s 100 percent as far as helping with the facility, building, caring for the horses, and other related chores.
“Being a World Champion owner has been a goal for Kathy forever, and she’s achieved it,” adds Lisa. “And those who know the Meneely family share in their happiness.”
“Everyone who knows them around here is so thrilled that they made it big with the horses!” says Ginny.
It has taken many years of hard work, careful study and financial discipline to achieve the level of success that they have, and the industry is thrilled, as well.
agree that their family has been their major accomplishment in life. “Even looking past Don’s teaching — his students loved him and he was a good coach — they have to be proud of both their sons,” says Ginny. “They’re great family people. They’re very friendly, but they’re all business. I’d say they’re focused. Their focus is their family and the horses.”
Ima Fearless Hero
Above:
Kathy and Don Meneely with son Shawn and his wife Julie in the winner’s circle after Ima Fearless Hero won the Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1.
The Meneely’s homebred Ima Fearless Hero, shown at left after winning
the 2015 Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1. Ima Fearless Hero was the 2015 Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding.
SPEEDHORSE, December 2016 41
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
Ginny Harding