This revolutionary Quarter Horse was just as phenomenal on the track as he was a sire.
Dash For Cash revolutionized the Quarter Horse racing industry. Photo by Sally Harrison from the Western Horseman book: Legends 4.
Veteran Quarter Horse racing trainer Bubba Cascio knew he had found a racer when he first broke Dash For Cash from the gate as a 2-year-old. “He jumped out 24 feet, 5 inches on his first stride and I knew he was going places,” recalled Cascio. “I told B.F. (the late owner, B.F. Phillips of Frisco, Tex.) that we definitely had us a race horse.”
The AQHA has presented a trophy to Dash For Cash in recognition of his becoming the first Quarter Horse to produce $25 million in offspring earnings. The 17-yearold stallion was bred by Phillips.
Cascio, the only trainer Dash For Cash ever had, thinks this stallion was the greatest thing to ever happen to Quarter Horse racing. “With his dominant speed, he brought spectators to the track, which in turn increased the pari-mutuel, and provided a tremendous boon to the industry,” Cascio said. Dash For Cash earned a speed index rating of 114.
Cascio describes Dash For Cash as being like a great athlete who loves to compete.
“He has a good disposition and his attitude reflected his ability as a competitor. He loved to race and to be in the fray. He was blessed with great speed, and his stride measured 34 to 36 feet when he was going full speed. But his biggest asset was probably his real good, level mind. Because of it he made few mistakes on the track.”
Competing from 1975 through 1977, Dash For Cash won 21 of 25 starts and finished second in 3 others. He was two-time world champion Quarter running horse.
Cascio says the most impressive race he ever ran was his worst race. He explained: “He was entered in the Champion of Champions race in Los Alamitos in December of 1977 (which he had won in 1976), and it was to be his last race. We were going for the two biggies. No horse had ever won Champion of Champions back-to-hack, and no horse had ever won two world championships.
“Going in, I felt he just wasn’t fit and ready. He was off his feed and sick, and it was the end of the year and he was tired. And he was under a great amount of pressure. But he won the race anyway, even though he was not himself and not nearly up to par. It was special because he proved he could beat the best horses when he was not at his best.”
Cascio himself has trained Dash For Cash offspring that have won more than $6 million, including Dashingly. Now 11, this mare won 18 races and $1.75 million.
Dash For Cash, with trainer C.W. “Bubba” Cascio of Aubrey, Texas. Photo by Alan Gold
Dash For Cash has sired 578 race starters, including 6 of the 16 Quarter Horses that have earned in excess of$1 million. Sixty-nine horses sired by him have won a total of 154 stakes races- races with a purse of more than $10,000; 25 horses have won 52 Grade 1-the highest level-races , and 17 percent of his starters have earned in excess of $50,000 each.
He has even sired one cutting horse, Miss N Cash, that placed seventh in the 1986 NCHA Futurity. Dash For Cash stands at stud at the Phillips Ranch.
This article was originally published in the March 1990 issue of Western Horseman.
* On May 20, 1996, Dash For Cash was humanly euthanized at the age of 23 due to an immobilizing battle with EPM.
Excerpt from the Western Horseman book, Legends 4:
“I don’t think in my lifetime I’ll see another Quarter Horse who will have the impact that he’s had on the breed,” said Glenn Blodgett, D.V.M., director of horse operations for Burnett Ranches, which is headquartered at the Four Sixes. “He’s one of those rare individuals. You could tell there was something special about his foals even before they were dry.”
Dash For Cash’s ashes are buried at the American Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum in Amarillo, near the life-size bronze created by Jim Reno and donated by Anne Marion, in memory of the “champion of champions.”
If you are interested in reading more about Dash For Cash and other great, “Legendary,” horses, we invite you to read through Western Horseman’s Legends: Volume 4. The fourth volume in this series includes exclusive detailed profiles, photographs, pedigrees and performance summaries of 17 of the most influential Quarter Horse stallions and mares: Blondy’s Dude, Dash For Cash, Diamonds Sparkle, Doc O’Lena, Ed Echols, Fillinic, Harlan, Impressive, Lady Bug’s Moon, Miss Bank, Miss Princess/Woven Web (TB), Rebel Cause, Tonto Bars Hank, Vandy, Zan Parr Bar, Zantanon, Zippo Pine Bar.
