Iron Fist Keeps Rolling in Cornhusker

After many close placings in graded stakes races, Whispering Oaks Farm's Iron Fist finally notched his first graded stakes win in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) at Prairie Meadows July 8. 

The 5-year-old son of Tapit   pressed the pace set by American Dubai and pulled ahead coming out of the turn to best the field of eight by two lengths. 

"I had a lot of confidence in the horse going into the race. I knew the horse was going to try hard," said winning rider Ricardo Santana Jr., who also won the race in 2013 aboard another Steve Asmussen trainee, Prayer for Relief. 

American Dubai led the way through most of the 1 1/8-mile test, traveling through fractions of :23.49, :47.38, and 1:10.62 for three-quarters of a mile, as Iron Fist pressed from second and 3-5 favorite Dolphus raced in third along the rail. 

Around the turn, Iron Fist moved up along American Dubai and pulled away with the lead into the stretch with a mile going in 1:35.08. As Iron Fist charged toward the wire, both Dolphus and American Dubai faded, but Texas Chrome continued to chase from the outside but was no match. Iron Fist hit in the wire first in 1:47.36 over a fast track. Texas Chrome was second and American Dubai held for third, three lengths back. 

Code West, Dolphus, Hawaakom, Conquest Windycity, and December Seven completed the order of finish. 

Off at 7-1 as the co-third choice, Iron Fist returned $17.60, $7.40, and $5.20 across the board. 

Saturday's race was Iron Fist's third stakes win this year, as he entered off a half-length score in the Evangeline Mile Stakes in June and also won the Maxxam Gold Cup Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park in February. He ran third in this year's Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3) and New Orleans Handicap (G2) and now has a 7-4-4 record from 20 starts with earnings of $839,199.

Bred by Gainesway out of grade 3 winner Successful Outlook, by Orientate  , Iron Fist is a full brother to multiple graded stakes winner Anchor Down   and a half brother to grade 1 winner Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley). He was a $1.55 million purchase by Regis Farms and Stonestreet Stables at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale.