Heza Dasha Fire storms away to victory in Champion of Champions

CYPRESS, Calif. – Heza Dasha Fire ran the best race of his accomplished career Saturday in the $600,000 Champion of Champions for Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos, a victory likely to lead to him being named World Champion Running Quarter Horse for 2015 next month.

Ridden by Cruz Mendez, Heza Dasha Fire ($3.20) had a clean start from the outside post in a field of 10. Heza Dasha Fire was quickly in front and led by a length after 200 yards, extending his lead through minimal urging to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Moonist, a 4-year-old gelding and the leading older horse at Los Alamitos this year.

Heza Dasha Fire was timed in 21.20 seconds for 440 yards.

Dashin Brown Streak, the winner of the Remington Park Championship in May, finished third and was beaten 3 1/2 lengths, a significant margin for a quarter-mile race.

Heza Dasha Fire, a 3-year-old gelding, finished his 2015 season unbeaten in five starts, including wins in the Golden State Derby in August and the Los Alamitos Super Derby in November. Heza Dasha Fire was the champion 2-year-old gelding of 2014. Awards for the 2015 season will be announced in January at a ceremony in Oklahoma City.

Owned by breeders Don and Kathy Meneely of Kennewick, Wash., Heza Dasha Fire is trained by Jose Antonio Flores and represented their first win in the Champion of Champions.

Heza Dasha Fire has won 11 of 12 starts and earned $1,689,388. Kathy Meneely said Heza Dasha Fire will be pointed for the Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February, a race that provides the winner with an automatic berth to the 2016 Champion of Champions next December.