Page 32 - May 2022

SPEEDLINES
was a good nick. A nick that is based on
the First Down Dash/Beduino TB cross
that has had an interesting impact on the breeding shed. This cross through Beduino daughters includes the Champions Royal Quick Dash ($1,046,980), Dash Thru Traffic ($1,056,943) and Stoli ($332,237). The mating of Dinastia Toll BRZ, a daughter
of Tolltac by Beduino, with First Down Dash produced Champion FDD Dynasty ($1,173,001). Runaway Wave, a daughter
of Runaway Winner by Beduino, was bred to First Down Dash and produced World Champion Wave Carver ($1,005,946) and Champion Ocean Runaway ($1,642,498). The daughters of Chicks Beduino, by Beduino, have produced Champion Tempting Dash ($673,970), and of course our subject stallion Valiant Hero ($668,633). This list of horses was picked as examples based on the All-Time Leading Sires of Money earners as they all appear in the top 100 sire list of million dollar sires.
When First Down Dash was purchased by Mildred Vessels at the Phillips Ranch
Sale in 1985, she brought home the horse that would bring a great deal of success to
an already very successful Vessels Stallion Farm. He went on to win the Dash For
Cash Futurity-G1 and the Kindergarten Futurity-G1 in 1986 when he won five of
his six starts earning $518,120. He came
back at three to dominate, winning six stakes including the Champion of Champions-G1, Los Alamitos Derby-G1, Hollywood Park Invitational, QHBC Championship-RG1, Dash For Cash Derby-G1 and Laddie Handicap-G2. He was second in the Town Policy Handicap-G3. He was named the 1987
Corona Czech, a full brother to Valiant Hero, winning the 1999 Mr Jet Moore Handicap.
Corona Czech, another full brother to Valiant Hero from this cross, won the 1999 Mr Jet Moore Handicap and was second in the 1999 El Primero Del Ano Derby-G2. He was a stakes finalist in seven more stakes including the Golden State Futurity-G1 and Ed Burke Memorial Futurity-G1. He earned $125,759. Pure Dash was another full sister to Valiant Hero that earned her ROM with 15 starts and earnings of $14,403. Corona Caliente was another stakes finalist from this First Down Dash/Corona Chick cross. He was a finalist
in the Los Alamitos Million Futurity-G1 and Golden State Futurity-G1. He made nine starts with two wins and earnings of $118,278.
Corona Chick went back to the court of Holland Ease to produce King Corona in 2001. He earned $31,928 with three wins in 20 starts. He was a finalist in the 2005 Silver Cup Overnight Stakes. Corona Chick returned to the court of First Down Dash to produce the unraced mare Katy Corona. Then came Coco Corona by First Down Dash in 2003. She was stakes placed in the Corona Cartel Stakes with a third. She was stakes finalist in the 2005 Rainbow Futurity-G1 and in the 2006 Ruidoso Derby-G1. She had four wins in 12 starts earning $37,414. Valiant Hero came next from the First Down Dash cross.
Captain Courage presents us with a different cross for Corona Chick as he
is the first of her foals not to be sired by First Down Dash or Holland Ease. He is sired by Mr Jess Perry. This horse made 11
starts with two wins, four seconds and two thirds earning $213,251. He was third in the 2007 All American Futurity-G1 and
a stakes finalist in the 2007 Texas Classic Futurity-G1, 2008 All American Derby-G1 and 2008 Dash For Cash Derby-G1. He earned $213,251 from 11 starts with two wins, four seconds and two thirds.
Corona Chick returned to First Down Dash to produce her next three foals. They include Mighty Corona in 2006. He earned $309,216, finishing second in the 2008 Texas Classic Futurity-G1 and he was a finalist in the All American Futurity-G1. Mia Corona was foaled in 2007 for Corona Chick. This mare made six starts with one win and earnings of $3,080. Then came Tina Corona in 2008 and she was unplaced from one start.
The last two foals for Corona Chick were
A Dash Of Sweet Heat, by Mr Jess Perry, who earned her ROM and placed twice in four starts. The last Corona Chick foal was Lovely Corona Chick by Walk Thru Fire and she was unraced.
When we look at the 14 starters out of Corona Chick, we see 10 having a speed index of 90 or above with six of them having a speed index of over 100. First Down Dash sired four of the six with a speed index
of over 100. Corona Chick is the dam of four stakes winners and three stakes placed winners with all four stakes winners sired by First Down Dash and two of the three stakes placed runners sired by him.
A look at these statistics tells us that the First Down Dash/Corona Chick cross
World Champion First Down Dash, the sire of Valiant Hero.
“When we look at the 14 starters out of Corona Chick, we see 10 having a speed index of 90 or above with six of them having a speed index of over 100.”
30 SPEEDHORSE May 2022
Robbi Knudson Photography
Scott Martinez, Los Alamitos