Competitive Field of 12 Lines Up for Iowa Derby

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/01/2019 - 13:17
Link: 
Competitive Field of 12 Lines Up for Iowa Derby
Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Coady Photography
Night Ops wins an allowance optional-claiming race at Churchill Downs

Prairie Meadows will spotlight 3-year-olds July 5 when 12 colts and geldings line up for the $250,000 Iowa Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) third Lady Apple faces six other fillies in the $200,000 Iowa Oaks. Both races are 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

After winning the Iowa Derby with High North a year ago, trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux team up again with Steve Landers Racing's Night Ops. The Warrior's Reward  colt changed hands privately earlier this year and broke his maiden around two turns March 30 in his first race for his new connections. Night Ops then got up to be second by a neck in the May 4 Oaklawn Invitational Stakes and rebounded to win an allowance optional-claiming race June 1 at Churchill Downs.

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Louisiana-bred Shang and Roy Cobb's Texas-bred Mr Money Bags have both won multiple restricted stakes in their home states and are looking to step up in open company.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Shang, by Shanghai Bobby, enters the Iowa Derby after rallying to win the May 25 Louisiana Legends Cheval Stakes, going one mile and 50 yards at Evangeline Downs. He was also an 8 3/4-length winner of the March 23 Crescent City Derby, run at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Mr Money Bags has yet to run past a mile, but he picked up an 11 1/2-length win June 1 after leading every step of the Texas Stallion Stymie Division Stakes at Lone Star Park. That effort was a big rebound from the May 4 Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG and E and KU (G3) in which the Silver City gelding finished last with a broken rein.

Harlow Stables' Proverb receives some class relief in the Iowa Derby after finishing third behind Mr. Money and Signalman in the June 15 Matt Winn Stakes (G3).

Lady Apple - Morning - Churchill Downs - 042719
Photo: Adrianna Lynch
Lady Apple at Churchill Downs

Asmussen holds a strong contender for the Iowa Oaks with Phoenix Thoroughbred III and KatieRich Stables' Lady Apple. The Curlin  filly opened her season with three straight wins, topped by a one-length victory in the April 12 Fantasy Stakes (G3) despite a tight spot at the sixteenth pole. That effort propelled her to third in the May 3 Kentucky Oaks.

Asmussen won this race a year ago with She's a Julie, who is now a grade 1 winner.

Cheyenne Stables' Ulele is making her second stakes start after finishing second by half a length in the May 17 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2). Grade 2-placed Sweet Diane, who won her first start for River Bend Farm after being purchased for $500,000 from the ELiTE consignment to the Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale, is also in search of a breakthrough win.

Mark Norman and Norman Stables' local runner Taylor's Spirit enters the Iowa Oaks off back-to-back stakes wins at Prairie Meadows, but will have to stretch out against strong shippers.


Entries: Iowa Derby

Prairie Meadows, Friday, July 05, 2019, Race 7

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $250,000
  • 3 yo
  • 9:00 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Winning Number (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Eddie Martin, Jr. 119 Brian S. House 12/1
2 2Proverb (FL) Flavien Prat 122 Ron Moquett 8/1
3 3Miltontown (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Alex L. Canchari 119 Robertino Diodoro 20/1
4 4Shang (LA) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Steven M. Asmussen 8/1
5 5Fluminense (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Santana, Jr. 119 Steven M. Asmussen 10/1
6 6Top Line Growth (MD) Julian Pimentel 116 Kelly Rubley 6/1
7 7Visitant (KY) William Antongeorgi III 119 John F. Martin 7/2
8 8Dazzling Truths (KY) Nicholas Meza 113 Kerry Zavash 20/1
9 9And Seek (KY) Chris Landeros 119 Dale L. Romans 12/1
10 10Night Ops (KY) Florent Geroux 122 Brad H. Cox 9/2
11 11Mr Money Bags (TX) David Cabrera 116 Mike R. Neatherlin 6/1
12 12Thetrashmanscoming (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Terry J. Thompson 116 David C. Anderson 20/1


Entries: Iowa Oaks (G3)

Prairie Meadows, Friday, July 05, 2019, Race 6

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $200,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 8:27 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Ulele (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 3/1
2 2Lady Apple (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ricardo Santana, Jr. 121 Steven M. Asmussen 8/5
3 3Beach Getaway (KY) Flavien Prat 115 David Van Winkle 10/1
4 4Sold It (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Mario Gutierrez 118 Doug F. O'Neill 8/1
5 5Sweet Diane (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Declan Cannon 118 Eddie Kenneally 15/1
6 6Taylor's Spirit (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Kevin Roman 115 Scott Gelner 5/1
7 7Scatrattleandroll (KY) Julian Pimentel 115 Kelly Rubley 6/1