West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables' Giant Game broke through for his first stakes win in gate-to-wire fashion Saturday in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3), scoring by three-quarters of a length from Skippylongstocking, who tried in vain catch the winner but ran out of ground.
Ridden by Martín García, Giant Game notched a second straight win following an allowance score May 11 at Churchill Downs and gained his stakes winner credentials while making his fourth stakes start, all in graded events, which includes his creditable third in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
The 4-year-old son of Giant's Causeway trained by Dale Romans went to the front at the start on Saturday and comfortably lead 2021 Peter Pan (G3) winner Promise Keeper in the early going. As Promise Keeper threw in the towel around the far turn and faded, favorite and Iowa-bred standout Ain't Life Grand, Call Me Fast, and multiple graded winner Skippylongstocking to aim on the front-runner and launched their bids, but Giant Game was too strong and held on for the victory. He covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.86 on a fast track. Giant Game laid down fractions: :23,17 for the opening quarter mile, :47.18 for the half, 1:11.41 for six furlongs, and 1:37.07 for the mile.
Ain't Life Grand, a multiple stakes winner at Prairie Meadows, checked in third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Skippylongstocking, and Call Me Fast was fourth in the field of 10.
Giant Game returned $20 for the win and collected the $178,900 winner's share of the Cornhusker purse, increasing his lifetime bankroll to $530,500. His career line stands at 3-2-2 from 10 outings.
Romans previously won the Cornhusker in 2004 with Roses in May. García won the also enjoyed a second victory in the race following his success in 2020 with Night Ops.
Giant Game, who was bred in Kentucky by H. Allen Poindexter, was produced by the More Than Ready mare Game for More. He was a $500,000 purchase a the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearlings Showcase, where he was offered by Wynnstay Sales.
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