Dashing Val, Queen Dream Finish 1-2 in $415,000 Golden State Derby

Dashing Val and Queen Dream, an entry owned by Edward C. Allred of Long Beach, finished first and second, respectively, in the $415,000 Golden State Derby Sunday at Bay Meadows.

Tricheng finished third among in 10 3-year-olds in Northern California’s richest quarter horse race, with Such An Easy Effort fourth. The favored Easygo Effort, the fastest qualifier, finished sixth, and was never a factor.

Dashing Val faltered slightly a few yards from the gate as his stablemate took the lead. But he gradually ran down Queen Dream in the 440-yard dash down the full length of the straightaway, winning by a nose.

“He really took after her (Queen Dream), and I felt we were going to get the job done,” said jockey Kenneth Hart. “He’s a good one.”

It was the third time Allred, a physician and long-time supporter of quarter horse racing, had won the Derby, which was having its 18th running.

“This was my biggest thrill, however,” said Allred, “particularly with my horses finishing first and second and so close together.”

Time for the 440 yards was 21.47, just off the track record of 21.38 set by Tolltac in winning this same race in 1984.

The Allred entry paid $9.40, $10.80 and $8.40, and Tricheng returned $12.00 to show.

In addition to collecting $175,545, Dashing Val also won an automatic berth in next fall’s Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos.

Allred also earned $66,317 for Queen Dream’s second-place finish.