(Friday, October 12, 2007) - Mercy and Ray Hinklin's Sam Houston Derby winner Diamond Tres Seis, ridden by Gilbert Ortiz and trained by Heath Taylor, ran 440 yards in :21.791 Friday night at Lone Star Park and was the fastest qualifier to the Grade 1 Dash For Cash Derby, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27.

Six trial races were staged for 3-year-old American Quarter Horses and the 10 fastest times advanced to the final, which will be worth a record $214,500.

In addition to Diamond Tres Seis, the finalists are New Mexico HBA Stakes winner and West Texas Derby runner-up Mister Ww (:21.943, ridden by Roy Baldillez, trained by Trey Wood), All American Derby and Retama Park Derby third Hiclass La Jolla (:21.946, Juan Vazquez, John Buchanan), Photo Smart (:22.045, Ignacio Bustamante, Joe Garza), All American Derby sixth place finisher Feature for You (22:107, Joe Martinez, "Sleepy" Gilbreath), Sassys Tuffy (:21.109, G.R. Carter Jr., Gilbreath), Fishers Rocket (:22.123, Abdel Torres, Salvador Flores), Jess a Lil Bit More (:22.164, Carter, Taylor), $6,000 late nomination Folsfirstdown (:22.171, Rodrigo Vallejo, Judd Kearl); and Aclassoffly (:22.179, Torres, Flores).

Diamond Tres Seis, a Texas-bred Tres Seis gelding out of the Dash For Cash mare Meddlin Mischief, will enter the final in two weeks with seven wins in 10 starts and earnings of $66,353. In 2007, he's perfect in five starts.

"We [gelded] him and gave him a long rest, and he's really turned into a nice horse," said Taylor, the nation's second-ranked trainer in money won ($2.3 million) who also qualified TQHA Sires' Cup Derby winner Jess a Lil Bit More. "Tonight, he stood in the starting gate well and got away okay, but he really finished well at the end."

Taylor also holds a strong hand Saturday night with five entrants in the Dash For Cash Futurity trials, including Retama Park and Manor Downs Futurity winner Swingin Jess, All American Futurity third Captain Courage and unbeaten Firecracker Futurity winner Coronas Leaving You.

The first of 13 trial races for 2-year-olds at 400 yards is 6:35 p.m. CT. The Dash For Cash Futurity, worth an estimated $450,000, also will be run Oct. 27. Saturday's grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Immediately after Friday's Dash For Cash Derby trials, Jane Russell's 4-year-old Sheza Black Dasher beat Streakin Amber by a neck to win the $20,000 Kool Kue Baby Handicap.

Trained by 19-year-old Trey Wood and ridden by Roy Baldillez, Sheza Black Dasher ran 350 yards in :17.862 to win her fourth race in 12 career starts.

The $11,000 winner's share of the purse jumped her earnings to $50,465. She paid $14 to win.

"She's a good filly and showed a lot of heart tonight," said Wood, the son of trainer Blane Wood who notched his first career stakes win since taking out his trainer's license last year. "She gives you all she's got all the time."