Lone Star: Her O Don Won fastest in finals of Dash for Cash Futurity

For the second year in a row, trainer Russell Harris will send out the fastest qualifier in the Dash for Cash Futurity finale at Lone Star Park. He has Her O Don Won in Saturday night’s renewal of the Grade 1, $408,915 race, one year after starting Prince Valleyant, who goes on the undercard in the Grade 2, $161,500 Dash for Cash Derby. Harris is capable of pulling the prestigious double. He’s one of the sport’s winningest stakes trainers, and through the years his charges have included such champions as Calyx and Florentine. Harris is hopeful Her O Don Won is blossoming just in time for the Dash For Cash.

“This horse is just getting more professional all the time,” Harris said. “He’s starting to get seasoned now. Every time we’ve started him, he’s gotten better.”

Her O Don Won will be making the fifth start of his career in the Dash for Cash, which will also be his stakes debut. He won his maiden in the Sept. 21 trials for the 400-yard race, winning his trial in a series-best time of 19.57 seconds. Prior to the start, Her O Don Won was third in a trial for the Grade 1, $2.6 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs.

“In his All American trial, the horse that ran second ended up winning the All American,” Harris noted of Handsome Jack Flash.

Her O Don Won returned to action in the trials for the Dash for Cash, leading throughout. Larry Payne was aboard and has the mount in the finale. Her O Don Won will break from post 6 in a field of 10 that also includes three horses he defeated in his trial: J Bar, Dynastys First Call, and Rey Tiburon Rr.

Separatist Firstdown, who will break from post 4, won the Grade 3 Harrah’s Entertainment at Louisiana Downs in March, making him the most accomplished member of the field in the Dash for Cash.

Her O Don Won is a January foal who races for his breeder, Richard R. Scott.

“He’s a really nice horse, a very pretty animal, and he’s smart,” Harris said. “We ran his mother and she was very competitive, and his sire, Valiant Hero, is just taking off like wildfire.”

Valiant Hero is also the sire of Prince Valleyant, who finished first in last year’s Dash For Cash Futurity but was placed sixth on a disqualification.

“Maybe we can get some revenge with him in the derby,” joked Harris.

Payne has the mount on the horse, whose rivals include fastest qualifier Louisiana Corona.