Heza Dasha Fire faces tough test in Super Derby

Heza Dasha Fire, the champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding of 2014, will face his sternest test of 2015 Saturday in the $859,400 Super Derby at Los Alamitos.

Heza Dasha Fire will be a heavy favorite in the 400-yard race, which has a tantalizing bonus for the winner – an automatic berth in the $600,000 Champion of Champions against older horses Dec. 12. The Champion of Champions plays a pivotal role in voting for year-end championships.

Owned by Don and Kathy Meneely and trained by Jose Flores, Heza Dasha Fire was the fastest qualifier for the Super Derby in time trials Oct. 11. The gelding ran 400 yards in 19.48 seconds for his third win of the year in as many starts. In the summer, Heza Dasha Fire won the trials and final of the prestigious Golden State Derby.

Last year, Heza Dasha Fire won the Ed Burke Million and Golden State Million futurities before finishing fourth in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity last December. Heza Dasha Fire has won 9 of 10 starts and earned $1,045,240.

The field of 10 in the Super Derby includes Forget It, who won the Governor’s Cup Derby on July 25. Kickin Your Can and Take a Look, who were third and fourth in that race, also are part of the Super Derby field, along with Sass Me Blue, who was third in the Golden State Derby.

The winner of the Super Derby will join Moonist, Dashin Brown Streak, Far Niente, and Quirky as automatic qualifiers for the Champion of Champions.