Smack Smack Edges 'Kowboy' in Cornhusker

Smack Smack halted a seven-race winless streak, coming from off the pace to edge pacesetter Shotgun Kowboy in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III) July 2. 

The victory marked the first graded score for the 5-year-old homebred Closing Argument gelding, who is trained by Don Von Hemel for country music star Toby Keith.

Ridden by Shane Laviolette and making amends for his sixth-place finish in last year's edition of the race, Smack Smack covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.28 on a fast track at 16-1 odds. His record improves to nine wins, including seven stakes triumphs, from 26 starts.

While Shotgun Kowboy set the tempo with pressure from 2-1 favorite S'maverlous and Cyrus Alexander, Laviolette settled Smack Smack in a comfortable fifth, then sixth, through a half mile in :48.78.

S'maverlous got his head in front through six furlongs in 1:13.35, but Shotgun Kowboy dug in to battle back, finishing strongly. Smack Smack was stronger than all, however. He rallied five wide into the stretch as Laviolette coaxed the best from him, and won by a neck in a blanket finish.

Shotgun Kowboy bested Pain and Misery by a head for second as S'maverlous faded to fourth.

Smack Smack, whose dam is the Victory Gallop mare Smack Madam, paid $34.20, $15.60, and $7.40. Shotgun Kowboy returned $6.20 and $4.40, and Pain and Misery paid $8.40 to show.

Code West, Hawaakom, Cyrus Alexander, Domain's Rap, and Eton Ridge completed the order of finish.

Also on the card, K Town Partners' Candip become the 11th black-type winner for Lane's End stallion Candy Ride   when he won the $100,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap by three-quarters of a length under Terry Thompson. Michael Tomlinson trains the 5-year-old gelding ($10.60), who toted co-highweight of 118 pounds.