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Flat Out Speed, Night Ops Take Graded Stakes At Prairie Meadows

The two graded stakes presented on Sunday during the Prairie Meadows Festival of Racing in Altoona, Iowa, featured Iowa-bred filly Flat Out Speed registering a 9-1 upset in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and solid favorite Night Ops proving too good for the competition in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap.

Alex Canchari made his move aboard Flat Out Speed in the run down the backstretch of the 1 1/16-mile Oaks, taking command from the early pacesetter, Lagoon Falls, then having enough left in the tank to hold off a late run from Aurelia Garland and jockey David Cohen. Ocean Breeze, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Martin Garcia, finished third.

A 3-year-old daughter of Flat Out trained by Lynn Chleborad, Flat Out Speed covered the distance on a fast track in 1:42.79 after fractions of :23.92, :47.48, 1:11.57 and 1:36.39.

The win was the fifth in six starts for Flat Out Speed, racing for Poindexter Thoroughbreds LLC. Out of the Street Sense mare, Blue Gallina, Flat Out Speed was bred in Iowa by H. Allen Poindexter and Wynnstay LLC.

Flat Out Speed's only defeat came in an allowance race at Oaklawn in April, her first start of the year after an unbeaten campaign of three races as a juvenile at Prairie Meadows. Flat Out Speed was coming out of a 5 1/2-length win as a prohibitive favorite against Iowa-breds in the Bob Bryant Stakes on June 27.

Martin Garcia didn't leave Prairie Meadows empty handed, taking the Cornhusker aboard 7-5 favorite Night Ops for trainer Brad Cox and owner Steve Landers Racing LLC.

Third early behind pacesetter My Sixth Sense and Dunph most of the way, Night Ops made his move on the final turn and easily drew off, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.30. My Sixth Sense held second, with veteran Rated R Superstar rallying for third.

A 4-year-old by Warrior's Reward out of Bear All, by Kitalpha, Night Ops was winning for the sixth time in 18 career starts. A winner of the $350,000 Essex Handicap earlier this year at Oaklawn, Night Ops was coming off a ninth-place finish behind By My Standards in the May 2 Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap.

Night Ops carried co-highweight 118 pounds under the handicap conditions of the race.

The Festival of Racing offered more than $450,000 in purses in eight stakes races on the Saturday and Sunday programs.

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American Pharoah Halter Headlines Iowa Aftercare Organization’s Online Fundraising Auction

American Pharoah, one of the most famous horses in the world, is helping Thoroughbreds whose lives are spent far outside of the limelight, especially when their racing careers are over.

A halter worn by the 2015 Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic winner headlines the upcoming silent auction raising money for the Iowa-based Hope After Racing Thoroughbreds (HART) aftercare organization.

The halter was donated by Kentucky's Ashford Stud, where American Pharoah has been a stallion since retiring after the unprecedented season that saw him not only become the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes but to also capture the Breeders' Cup Classic.

In its 10th year, HART's silent-auction fundraiser will be conducted entirely online, starting at noon on June 26 and concluding July 3 at 8:30 p.m. Central. The auction features other memorabilia, services, photos, paintings, tack and more. All the proceeds go to HART's care, rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming of retired racehorses from Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. Those wishing to donate outside of the auction may do so directly through HART's website at iahart.org.

“We're so grateful to Ashford Stud for donating this halter worn by one of the all-time greats,” said HART president Jon Moss. “This is a chance for a racing, horse or sports enthusiast to own this priceless memorabilia while helping horses that don't have a set future when they are through racing. HART finds safe, loving homes for our retired racehorses, preparing them for second careers in the show ring, eventing, trail riding or simply as pleasure or companion horses.”

An account with 32auctions is required for bidding. Auction items can be viewed in person July 3 starting at 3:30 p.m. CT in Prairie Meadows' Prairie Rose Room on the fourth floor in the Clubhouse.

To view items, create an online account or for more information, go to www.32auctions.com/hart2020.

Since 2011, HART has worked closely with the horsemen at Prairie Meadows to provide Thoroughbred horses a soft landing after their racing careers are over.

HART is accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and is a TAA grant recipient. Facilities and organizations that rehab, retrain and/or re-home horses receive support from the TAA after undergoing an arduous application process and are inspected annually to maintain accreditation. HART is Iowa's only TAA-approved organization.

HART's board includes a representative from the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Associations, Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino and the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

“Our racehorses take care of us,” said Moss, who also is executive director of the Iowa HBPA. “All of us in racing owe it to take care of them when they are through racing. We thank Ashford Stud and American Pharoah for helping Iowa horsemen to do our part through HART. We also say thank you to all our contributors over the years without whose support HART would not continue to be the organization here to help horses find new homes.”

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Iowa HBPA Offering Financial Assistance to Members

As Prairie Meadows Racetrack opens its doors for the 2020 season Friday, the Iowa Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association is offering a pair of programs designed to assist its members who might be feeling a financial pinch as a result of the delays caused by the coronavirus.

Trainers may apply for $100 in assistance per Thoroughbred racehorse stabled at the Altoona track under the COVID-19 Horsemen’s Assistance Program. The deadline to apply for the program is 3 p.m. CT Tuesday, June 30.

The Iowa HBPA has also created the COVID-19 Dorm Room Assistance Program to help trainers cover any expenses incurred in moving to Prairie Meadows. Trainers can apply for a loan of up to $300 per dorm room, with an agreement to repay the HBPA by Dec. 15, 2020.

“It boils down to free money and an interest-free loan,” said Iowa HBPA president Dave McShane. “We encourage all our Thoroughbred horsemen to apply for these programs. I don’t know a trainer who can’t use an extra $100 per horse, especially as a bridge until we’re able to get into a stretch of unimpeded racing.”

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Iowa HBPA Creates Two Assistance Programs For Trainers Impacted By Covid-19

With Prairie Meadows opening for horse racing Friday, the Iowa HBPA is offering two programs to help out its members feeling the economic squeeze from COVID-19 shutdowns.

Trainers can apply to receive up to $100 per Thoroughbred racehorse stabled at Prairie Meadows under the COVID-19 Horsemen's Assistance Program. The deadline to apply is 3 p.m. CT June 30.

In addition, the Iowa HBPA created the COVID-19 Dorm Room Assistance Program to help trainers cover expenses incurred during the pandemic while moving their operation to Prairie Meadows. Thoroughbred trainers may receive a loan of up to $300 per dorm room for their stable employees. Recipients agree to repay the money to the Iowa HBPA by Dec. 15, 2020.

“It boils down to free money and an interest-free loan,” said Iowa HBPA president Dave McShane. “We encourage all our Thoroughbred horsemen to apply for these programs. I don't know a trainer who can't use an extra $100 per horse, especially as a bridge until we're able to get into a stretch of unimpeded racing.”

Program applicants must be members of the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association, which represents Thoroughbred owners and trainers racing in the Hawkeye State.

“Trainers incur considerable expenses every time they ship to the next town,” said Iowa HBPA executive director Jon Moss. “We are trying to help defray those costs, which have been exacerbated by the health and economic emergency. Given the difficult spring with many tracks shut down for long stretches, a lot horsemen don't have on hand the extra hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars needed to secure dorm rooms for their grooms and hotwalkers. So we're providing interest-free loans to assist with that up-front money needed to provide on-track housing for our horsemen's employees.”

More information and application forms

Prairie Meadows' thoroughbred and quarter-horse meet runs Friday through Oct. 11.

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