Dashin Prince Henry may get his derby

Trainer Jack Brooks will be busy, saddling four of the 10 finalists, including fastest qualifier Dashin Prince Henry, in the Grade 1, $152,700 Dash for Cash Derby on Friday night at Lone Star Park.

The other Brooks-trained qualifiers to the 440-yard derby are Friday 123, First Regards, and Fit to Fly.

Jockey Jacky Martin, who rode each of the four Brooks qualifiers in the Oct. 4 trials, will ride Dashin Prince Henry in the finals.

Dashin Prince Henry won his 440-yard trial by a neck in 21.630 seconds.

"He really ran a big race," Brooks said of the win. "He's qualified for three derbies [Lazy E, Ruidoso, and Rainbow], but hasn't won one. Maybe this will be it."

Dashin Prince Henry's best derby effort was a third in the Grade 2 Ruidoso Derby.

Shining Sky, the 2001 champion 2-year-old gelding, finished in a dead heat for the win with Friday 123 in their trial. Shining Sky won two Grade 1 futurities last year, but is looking for his first 2002 stakes win.

Eye Opening Episode returns

Eye Opening Episode, the third-ranked juvenile in the American Quarter Horse Association poll, will make his first stakes appearance since narrowly losing the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity when he starts in the Grade 1, $410,895 Dash for Cash Futurity on Saturday night at Lone Star Park.

Eye Opening Episode made a late charge in the All American Futurity, but came up a head short and settled for second in the country's richest Quarter Horse race. That head margin cost Eye Opening Episode's connections the $731,850 difference between the $1,025,000 winner's share and $293,150 second-place check.

West Texas Futurity winner Eye Opening Episode qualified for the Dash for Cash Futurity with a three-length trial win in 19.923 seconds for 400 yards.

Silvered Eyes, fourth in the All American Futurity, won his Dash for Cash Futurity trial with the third-fastest time of 19.901 seconds for the 400 yards.

Fastest qualifier honors from the 13 trials on Oct. 5 went to Lipstick Memories, who won her maiden with a half-length win in 19.875 seconds.

It was Lipstick Memories's first win from four starts. She was third in the Grade 1, $345,000 Remington Park Futurity.

Check Him Out after a triple

Check Him Out, coming off a stakes-record win in the Grade 2, $117,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby, takes a step to a possible third straight derby win in the trials for the Grade 1, $250,000 Los Alamitos Derby on Friday night.

Check Him Out also won the Grade 1, $207,800 Golden State Derby Aug. 17.

Also in the three 400-yard trials are Grade 1 Los Alamitos Winter Derby winner Panther Mountain and Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano Derby winner Harley Man.

Meteoric makes Los Al debut

Meteoric, third-place finisher in the All American Futurity, makes his Los Alamitos debut in the trials for the Grade 1, $700,000-estimated Golden State Futurity on Saturday night.

Owned by Dutch Masters III, Meteoric won his first six starts before finishing third in the All American Futurity.