Prairie preview

Tonight is the first of two nights of multi stakes cards at Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Iowa highlighted by the Cornhusker Handicap, which has served as a feeder race into the Whitney Handicap in recent years. A preview of the stakes action is in order, tonight's stakes action features two sprints and a route.

Saylorville Stakes

Seven fillies and mares line up here and Palanka City most likely will go off the favorite. Her last three have been convincing scores with her most recent being a tune up race where she carried 126 pounds and cruised home, the 7/2 morning line is a pipe dream on this one. Realistically her odds will be 2/1 or less and the 2/1 ceiling is being generous.

Secret Gypsy is listed as the morning line favorite at 3/1 and this one will likely overlay the given odds. She has shown a slight resurgence in form with a bullet work and a second place finish in a stakes race at Churchill, but she is nowhere near the same horse she was back in late 2008 into early 2009 when she won the Grade 2 Distaff handicap.

Mindy Queen is in sharp recent form with a recent win over the surface and wins in three out of her five recent starts. However it must be noted that those five starts have been stretched out from August 2009 until recently.

Iowa Distaff

Six older fillies and mares square off and a case can be made for any of the six to make the winner's circle. Wynning Ride is coming east for the shot at the prize money after a tough beat at Hollywood in the Milady Handicap and her only two dirt starts were at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. Chorageous, Hightap, and Patti's Regal Song all exit the Wild Rose stakes which is the local prep for this race so the trip over surface shouldn't hurt them. Euphony is perfect on the surface at two for two and she won this race last year.

Iowa Sprint

Three years ago this race produced champion sprinter Benny The Bull. Majesticperfection was an impressive winner two back reeling off a final quarter in 23.15 seconds drawing away if this horse stays sound he will be a force to be dealt with in the sprint division. The second and third place finishers out of the Aristides Stakes return here, Cash Refund and Atta Boy Roy. They switch spots in the starting gate this time with Cash Refund breaking inside of Atta Boy Roy. This should help Cash Refund who was caught wide over the Churchill conveyor belt last out.