I AM CANDY SWEET IN DENIM N DIAMONDS AT LOS ALAMITOS  

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA — Promising sire Dasha Good Reason died Wednesday morning at age seven, according to David Martin, manager of Rolling A Ranch in Atascadero, California. The ranch will await the results of a necropsy to determine the cause of death.

Ed Allred, the sport’s leading owner and breeder, purchased the multiple Grade 1 finalist Dasha Good Reason in February 2025. Impeccably bred, Dasha Good Reason was a son of champion Good Reason SA and out of the AQHA Racing Dam of Distinction Dasha Freda. Dasha Freda is also the dam of 2015 AQHA World Champion Heza Dasha Fire and AQHA champion 2-year-old gelding Ima Fearless Hero.

Previously owned by Robyn Gordon, Juan Humberto Moya, and S-Quarter K LLC, Dasha Good Reason spent his first breeding season at Robicheaux Ranch in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, in 2024; his first foals are now yearlings. Dasha Good Reason’s first season at Rolling A Ranch features approximately 40 weanlings to be born in 2026. For his second season in California, Dasha Good Reason covered over 50 mares, with 21 already determined to be in foal. Rolling A Ranch staff expects an additional 32 mares to also be in foal this year.

“Dr. Allred was very excited to have this promising, upcoming stallion at Rolling A Ranch,” Martin said. “To lose Dasha Good Reason this early in his career is devastating for all of us. We have many of his babies already being born, and we are looking to have 50 mares in foal from him this year.”

“Dasha Good Reason was a gentleman of a stallion,” Martin continued. “He was well-mannered, had no vices, and he did his job. I’ve been here a long time at Rolling A Ranch, and Dasha Good Reason is one of the best-mannered stallions I’ve ever been around. He was quiet, his concentration was always there, and he was never a problem. He was a perfect stallion. Everything was working great with him. Out of respect for everything he did for Rolling A Ranch in his short time here, we’ll wait until the necropsy to announce the reason for his passing.”

On the racetrack, Dasha Good Reason was one of the top 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos Race Course in 2021, scoring four victories that year. He qualified for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity at 400 yards, the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity at 350 yards, and the John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge at 350 yards. His victories included trial wins for the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity at 350 yards, the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity, and the John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile.

As a 3-year-old, Dasha Good Reason qualified for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby, the Grade 2 Golden State Derby, and the Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano Derby—all held at 400 yards—before qualifying for the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship during his 4-year-old campaign. Bred by S-Quarter K LLC, Dasha Good Reason competed in a total of nine stakes races and secured top-three finishes in nine of his 21 lifetime starts, earning $264,158 during his career.

Dasha Good Reason was sired by the outstanding two-time champion Good Reason SA, winner of the 2011 Grade 1 Champion of Champions at 440 yards and the 2009 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity at 400 yards, with career earnings of $1,446,727. His dam, the Meneelys’ wonderful broodmare Dasha Freda, is a daughter of 2019 AQHA Hall of Fame inductee Mr Jess Perry. Dasha Freda’s sons include Heza Dasha Fire—winner of the 2015 Grade 1 Champion of Champions and eight other Grade 1 stakes—and Ima Fearless Hero, winner of the 2015 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. She is also the dam of Grade 2 winner Sweet Dasha Fire ($190,624) and stakes winner Dasha Dynasty ($131,807).

On Wednesday afternoon, Cathy Allred, wife of Ed Allred and president of Los Alamitos Race Course, said that the Meneelys reached out to Dr. Allred to offer their condolences and to offer to shuttle their stallion, Dasha Dynasty, from Fales Ranch in Arizona to Rolling A Ranch so the Atascadero facility could continue its 2026 breeding season. Dasha Dynasty is owned by Robyn Gordon, Juan Humberto Moya, and S-Quarter K LLC.

“We are grateful that Don and Kathy Meneely, Robin Gordon, and Juan Humberto Moya reached out so quickly with the opportunity to use their stallion,” Cathy Allred said. “Dasha Dynasty will be at Rolling A Ranch in the next few days, and we feel very fortunate to have his great bloodlines continue to be a part of our breeding program.”

“It’s been a tough day for all of us here,” Martin added. “Dr. Allred continues to do everything he can for the Quarter Horse racing industry in California, and Dasha Good Reason was an exciting new addition for our state’s breeding program. We still have the stallion Kiddy Up here, who has been a Rolling A Ranch mainstay for about 20 years. We’ll move forward, but we will miss Dasha Good Reason.”

Courtesy of Orlando Gutierrez

Shakopee, Minn.  —  Canterbury Park announced that Jesse Sherwood has been named head starter for the 2026 race meet that begins May 23. Sherwood’s career working on the starting gate began in 2008 at Canterbury where he spent four seasons as an assistant starter. He has been head starter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans the past two seasons. Sherwood also worked at racetracks in New Mexico becoming head starter at Energy Downs in Wyoming and at the Montana State Fair meet in Great Falls. 

“Returning to Canterbury Park will feel like somewhat of a homecoming,” Sherwood said. “I know there will be many new faces but I am sure to find some familiar ones as well.”

The starter and his team of assistants are responsible for ensuring a fair start for each race as well as a safe and orderly process of loading horses into the starting gate.

“I try hard and I care and take pride in having a team of assistants that do the same,” he said. “Good starts on race day come from the hard work and patience during morning schooling.”

Sherwood, a native of Selah, Washington, grew up on the racetrack. He is a third-generation horseman. His mother was a trainer, and his father, a former jockey, was the superintendent of the jockey’s room at Washington racetracks for 40 years.

“We are pleased to have found someone with Jesse’s experience to fill the very important role of head starter,” Canterbury Park general manager John Groen said. “We are proud of the consistency and safety record of our starting gate team and feel that Jesse will uphold those high standards.”

Sherwood replaces Oscar Quiroz who took a similar position at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Courtesy of Jeff Maday

2026 Spring Forward Sale

This year’s sale, although small, drew a very diverse consignment of horses. Foals in Utero, Yearlings, Race Age, Barrel / Performance prospects and Broodmares were all included in the selection of horses offered. The average sales price on horses sold was $13,500. The high seller was Ms Dynasty, consigned by Tom Maher sold for $38,000, a stakes producing FDD Dynasty daughter in foal to Hes Relentless for a 2027 foal. Horses were sold to 5 different states from California to Minnesota and 1 going to Canada.

Heritage Place wishes everyone much success with their purchases and best of luck at the races this year. Our next sale will be the annual Quarter Horse Yearling Sale, September 24–26, 2026; the consignment deadline is June 17th, consignment forms will be available for online completion at www.heritageplace.com under the Quarter Horse Yearling Sale tab.

Courtesy of Heritage Place