Ima Fearless Hero streaking into PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby

Ima Fearless Hero, the champion 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding of 2015, will start in his first major stakes of 2016 in Friday’s $177,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Derby at Los Alamitos.

Ima Fearless Hero won a division of the time trials for the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby on Sept. 10, his first start of the year. Ima Fearless Hero underwent surgery to have a bone chip removed from a knee earlier this year.

Trainer Jose Flores considered skipping Friday’s final to give Ima Fearless Hero ample time to rest for the time trials of the Los Alamitos Super Derby on Oct. 15. The $900,000 final of the Super Derby is Nov. 6. Flores said on Wednesday that he will start Ima Fearless Hero on Friday night before proceeding toward the Super Derby trials.

Last year, Ima Fearless Hero won the PCQHRA Breeders’ and the Los Alamitos Two Million futurities. A winner of 7 of 9 starts for owners Don, Kathy, and Shawn Meneely of Kennewick, Wash., Ima Fearless Hero has won six consecutive races.

Ima Fearless Hero may be the second choice in the betting behind Little Talks. Owned by breeder Steve Burns, Little Talks set the fastest qualifying time of 19.67 seconds in the Sept. 10 trials. Ima Fearless Hero was timed in 19.87 seconds.

Little Talks, trained by Mike Casselman, won the Golden State Million Futurity last November, beating Docs Best Card, who is also part of the PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby field.