By Tom LaMarra,
Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Size captured her first stakes and third win overall in four starts with a handy upset victory in the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (gr. III) at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino the evening of June 28 (VIDEO).
Size, ridden by Junior Alvarado for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, had the early lead for about three-eighths of a mile, dropped back to third at one point, and re-rallied in the stretch in the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-old fillies. Size, a Kentucky homebred by First Samurai out of the Pulpit mare Extent, held off the late run of adjudged 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner Ria Antonia, who had raced in grade I stakes—including the Preakness—in her last three starts.
Breaking from post 5 in the nine-filly field, Size was in front through an opening-quarter mile in :23.44 on a track rated sloppy. She then gave way to Dream Spinner, who also left well from the outside post. Jareth Loveberry allowed Dream Spinner to open her advantage through a half-mile in :46.69, well ahead of Size, Awesome Jill, and Sugar Shock, who was factor early but gradually fell back and was eased.
Dream Spinner held the lead through six furlongs in 1:10.84, but by the time the filly hit the one-mile mark in 1:36.73, Size had gained ground on the outside and eventually passed the front-runner, who ended up third. Ria Antonia rallied well on the far outside to finish about 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner in second in an improved effort.
Tiz Windy rallied late for fourth. The final time was 1:43.64.
Size returned $28, $7.60, and $6.40 across the board, while Ria Antonia paid $3.60 and $3.20. Dream Spinner paid $4.80 to show. The $1 exacta paid $58.40 and the $1 trifecta $629.10.
In her previous three starts, Size had a maiden victory at Gulfstream Park, an allowance win at Aqueduct Racetrack, and a second-place finish behind Red Velvet in the Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont Park. The Iowa Oaks was her first start beyond six furlongs.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/85919/size-handles-distance-captures-iowa-oaks#ixzz3605oB0uB
Jessica's Star Rallies to Take Iowa Derby
By Tom LaMarra,
Mark Breen's Jessica's Star, winner of the Prairie Mile Stakes on a muddy track in his last start, parlayed that experience into an upset score in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (gr. III) on a sloppy track at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino the evening of June 28 (VIDEO).
With the meet's leading rider, David Mello, aboard for trainer Mike Stidham, Jessica's Star rallied from fourth on the backstretch through an honest pace and collared the front-runners approaching the finish. Bred in Kentucky by Elisabeth Alexander, the gelded Jessica's Star is by Magna Graduate out of the Dynaformer mare Bimini Knot.
The early pace in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds was set by Embellishing Bob, who grabbed the early lead from the rail under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Placed first in the Derby Trial (gr. III) two starts back, Embellishing Bob met with hounding pressure from I Got It All and a three-wide Vicar's in Trouble through fractions of :23.70 for the opening quarter-mile, :46.81 for the half-mile, and 1:11.32 for six furlongs.
Jessica's Star, about six lengths behind the top three on the backstretch, made his move to engage nearing the top of the stretch as I Got It All began to fade. Vicar's in Trouble, winner of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) two starts back, appeared ready to accelerate past Embellishing Bob but flattened out between horses after one mile in 1:37.30.
Jessica's Star took over late to pass a stubborn Embellishing Bob, who ran well in his first start around two turns. Favored Vicar's In Trouble finished third, with Russellin fourth. The final time was 1:44.12, a bit slower than the fillies went in the Iowa Oaks at the same distance in the previous race.
Jessica's Star, who won by about one length, paid $21.20, $7.80, and $4.20 across the board. Embellishing Bob returned $5.40 and $3.40, while Vicar's in Trouble was worth $2.80 to show. The $1 exacta paid $48, and the $1 trifecta returned $193.20.
Jessica's Star now has four wins and two seconds in six starts. He made his first start in February at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where he broke his maiden in his second outing.
By Tom LaMarra,
Mark Breen's Jessica's Star, winner of the Prairie Mile Stakes on a muddy track in his last start, parlayed that experience into an upset score in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (gr. III) on a sloppy track at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino the evening of June 28 (VIDEO).
With the meet's leading rider, David Mello, aboard for trainer Mike Stidham, Jessica's Star rallied from fourth on the backstretch through an honest pace and collared the front-runners approaching the finish. Bred in Kentucky by Elisabeth Alexander, the gelded Jessica's Star is by Magna Graduate out of the Dynaformer mare Bimini Knot.
The early pace in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds was set by Embellishing Bob, who grabbed the early lead from the rail under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Placed first in the Derby Trial (gr. III) two starts back, Embellishing Bob met with hounding pressure from I Got It All and a three-wide Vicar's in Trouble through fractions of :23.70 for the opening quarter-mile, :46.81 for the half-mile, and 1:11.32 for six furlongs.
Jessica's Star, about six lengths behind the top three on the backstretch, made his move to engage nearing the top of the stretch as I Got It All began to fade. Vicar's in Trouble, winner of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) two starts back, appeared ready to accelerate past Embellishing Bob but flattened out between horses after one mile in 1:37.30.
Jessica's Star took over late to pass a stubborn Embellishing Bob, who ran well in his first start around two turns. Favored Vicar's In Trouble finished third, with Russellin fourth. The final time was 1:44.12, a bit slower than the fillies went in the Iowa Oaks at the same distance in the previous race.
Jessica's Star, who won by about one length, paid $21.20, $7.80, and $4.20 across the board. Embellishing Bob returned $5.40 and $3.40, while Vicar's in Trouble was worth $2.80 to show. The $1 exacta paid $48, and the $1 trifecta returned $193.20.
Jessica's Star now has four wins and two seconds in six starts. He made his first start in February at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where he broke his maiden in his second outing.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/85920/jessicas-star-rallies-to-take-iowa-derby#ixzz3605EAGGu
By Tom LaMarra,
Michael Langford's Carve, third in the grade II Oaklawn Handicap in April, worked out a nice trip to win the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap (gr. II) at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino the evening of June 28 (VIDEO).
Carve, ridden by Jesus Castanon and trained by Brad Cox, was the second grade III winner of the night for the stallion First Samurai , also the sire of Iowa Oaks (gr. III) winner Size. Both winners were bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, the owners of Size.
A field of eight broke from the gate in the Cornhusker, a 1 1/8 event for 3-year-olds and up. The favorite was 120-pound highweight Golden Ticket, who finished fifth in the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs in his last start.
Right to Vote, winner of the Jim Rasmussen Memorial Stakes, the local prep for the Cornhusker, grabbed the early advantage from post 4, with Ground Transport second and Carve third through an opening quarter-mile in :23.50 on a sloppy track. The running order varied little through a half-mile in :47.36, six furlongs in 1:11.14, and one mile in 1:36.85.
The final eighth of a mile told the tale, as Castanon urged Carve past a game Right to Vote, who ran on well for second to miss by a neck. Golden Ticket, who settled early on the outside and gradually gained on the leaders, lacked the needed kick and finished fourth, a neck behind Ground Transport, who was a length behind Right to Vote.
The final time was 1:50.56.
Carve, who carried 117 pounds, paid $10.20, $5, and $4 across the board as the second choice in the wagering. Right to Vote returned $11.20 and $6.60, while Ground Transport was worth $4 to show. The $1 exacta paid $52.60, and the $1 trifecta paid $272.00.
Carve, out of the A.P. Indy mare Apt, won for the fifth time in 14 starts. He also has one second and four thirds.
In the Oaklawn Handicap, Carve was sent off at 18-1 and ran extremely well to finish third behind 2013 champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge and Revolutionary in a tight finish. The 4-year-old gelding then failed to fire in the Pimlico Special (gr. III), but he bounced back with a strong score in an allowance race at Churchill.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/85921/carve-at-his-best-in-cornhusker-victory#ixzz3605aFDyb
