All American Derby Qualifier: Hez Our Secret

HEZ OUR SECRET
Gr.c. First Down Dash-Secret Separation by Separatist

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Race Record: 8-3-1-1 $175,768

Breeder: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC (CA)
Owner: Johnny Trotter
Trainer: Blane Wood
Qualifying Jockey: Ricky Ramirez
Qualifying Time: :21.383 (Trial 3)

Race Record: Highly regarded as a 2-year-old, Hez Our Secret qualified for the Rainbow Futurity (G1) but was scratched after emergency colic surgery. After he recovered, the colt returned to the races to finish fourth in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1). Given a break, he returned on June 9 to finish third in a Ruidoso allowance behind fellow All American Derby qualifier Testing The Ice, then was fourth in Ochoa’s Rainbow Derby (G1) trial. Hez Our Secret is one of three finalists from the third All American Derby trial. Run during a driving rain, but before the heavy rains soaked the track, the First Down Dash colt finished in a dead heat victory with A Toss Up.

Breeder: The sport’s No. 2 all-time leading breeder, Vessels Stallion Farm is based in Bonsall, California, and has in its own name bred horses with 7,074 starts and 1,170 wins. The horses have accumulated more than $21.3 million and include All American Futurity winners Royal Quick Dash, Dash Thru Traffic and No Secrets Here, as well as champions Little Bit Of Baja, Apollitical Time, Hardly Hateful, Your First Moon, Old Habits, Iba Dasher, Hateful Hanna, Meter Me Gone and Rare Form.

Owner: AQHA Second Vice President Johnny Trotter of Hereford, Texas, has since 1999 in his own name raced the winners of 68 of 435 starts, with earnings of more than $2.3 million. Trotter is the CEO of Livestock Investors LLT and owns Bar G Feedyard as well as Whiteface Ford in Hereford, Texas. Trotter raced Grade 1 winner Bodacious Dash, and in partnership raced champions One Famous Eagle and Miss Racy Jess.  

“I was real pleased with his improvement,” Trotter said of the gutty colt’s trial performance. “I’m thinking he’ll benefit as much from this race as he did from that Rainbow trial.”

“Bless his heart, he’s had a hard time,” Trotter added. “I’m just proud for that horse, as much trouble as he’s had. He’s a lot better horse than his record shows.”

Trainer: Training Quarter Horses since 1975, Blane Wood has sent out 712 winners and the earners of more than $10.9 million from 3,742 starts, including champions Leading Spirit and Haulin Pass.

Qualifying Jockey: Riding many horses for the father-and-son team of Blane and Trey Wood, Ricky Ramirez won the 2010 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) aboard Bodacious Dash, 2011 Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) aboard Miss Racy Jess and scored in the May 26 Heritage Place Futurity (G1) on BP Cartels Alibi. Since 2003, Ramirez has ridden the winners of 609 races and the earners of more than $13.1 million from 3,640 starts.

Pedigree: Hez Our Secret is one of two All American Derby finalist sired by all-time leading sire First Down Dash. The stallion, who died in 2010, has foal earnings of more than $77.8 million, which eclipses the next closest – his sire, Dash For Cash, who has foal earnings of more than $39.9 million. First Down Dash is the sire of All American Derby winners Brimmerton, Stoli, Dashing Perfection and Royal Down Dash.

The 10-year-old mare Secret Separation is a daughter of Separatist, out of the Raise A Secret mare Dicey Secret, making her a half sister to All American Futurity winner No Secrets Here. The winning race mare, owned by Vessels Stallion Farm LLC, has produced eight winners from nine starters, including Grade 1 runner Nosecretwhosefirst (by First Down Dash, $85,000).