With fastest qualifier sidelined, Sweet Dasha Fire favored in PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby

The $137,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Derby at Los Alamitos on Saturday will be run without fastest qualifier Favorite Honey.

Trainer Monty Arrossa said on Thursday that Favorite Honey emerged from a win in a time trial for the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby on Sept. 10 with a knee injury that required surgery.

“They recommended four months off before he can come back,” Arrossa said. “The horse handled the surgery well.”

Favorite Honey, who won the 2021 PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity and the $180,000 Governor’s Cup Derby in July, would have been favored in Saturday’s race at 400 yards.

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The role of favorite is likely to go to Sweet Dasha Fire, a trial race winner in 19.82 seconds and one of two fillies in the field. Trained by Jose Flores for Sammy Valeriano, Sweet Dasha Fire was fourth in the Governor’s Cup Derby, beaten three-quarters of a length.

Sweet Dasha Fire’s main rival on Saturday is the other filly in the field, Sweet Tess. Trained by Patty Visscher, Sweet Tess was second by a neck to Favorite Honey in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby time trials in her first start since May.

Sweet Tess won the $438,500 Los Alamitos Oaks at 400 yards in March in her stakes debut. For Saturday’s race, Sweet Tess drew the inside in a field of nine.

The PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby is the fourth start of 2022 for Jess Being a Friend, who was second in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last December, but only seventh of 10 in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February.

Trained by Elena Andrade, Jess Being a Friend did not race again until the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby trials, finishing second by a half-length to Sweet Dasha Fire in the respectable time of 19.87 seconds.

Jess Being a Friend has earned $366,450, the highest among the nine finalists in Saturday’s race.

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