The same set of four Nebraska-bred Thoroughbreds competing in one-furlong races on back-to-back days at Horsemen's Atokad Downs finished 1-2-3-4 on both Saturday and Sunday.
The odd result was the product of the South Sioux City track's ownership, Ho-Chunk, Inc., needing to conduct at least one day of live racing to maintain Nebraska licensure as an active racetrack. That status as a licensed racetrack is required for conducting simulcasting and the eventual development of a racino in a different location within that city.
As in recent years, the abbreviated one-furlong sprints took place over a straightaway with a J-shaped gallop-out that is part of what remains of the full oval where Atokad previously conducted more traditional race meets from 1956 through 2012.
Three races at one-eighth-mile each were conducted on both June 3 and 4, with each race limited to four starters. Seven of the 12 entrants on Sunday had just raced the day before at Atokad on Saturday.
The second race on both Saturday and Sunday featured an identical four-horse field racing for $10,000 claiming prices with a $7,500 purse.
On Saturday, P R Girlfriend (Gold Schleiger) bested Lovesaflyin (Shadow Hawk), Inewagallikethat (Monhocracy), and Just Send Her (Mine For Gold).
The 5-year-old winning mare had been beaten by double-digit lengths in three of her last four races at Fonner Park. The runner-up, a 6-year-old mare, had finished last in three straight races at Fonner, and had been pulled up and walked off the track May 20. The third-place mare, age seven, had won two starts back at Fonner. The last-place mare was a 6-year-old maiden who had earned Beyer Speed Figures of zero in her last three races while beaten a combined 50 ½ lengths.
P R Girlfriend was hand-timed in :13 for her winning furlong on Saturday, managing a half-length victory even though she came out of the gate fourth.
Twenty-three hours and 56 minutes later, the same mares lined up again, although in different post positions.
This time P R Girlfriend “bobbled at the break but soon got clear and held safe” according to the Equibase chart. Again rallying from last, she led home an identical 1-2-3-4 order of finish, this time winning by a full length.
Owned by Mckay Stables, trained by Stanley McClain, and ridden by Jose Medina, her winning time on Sunday was :12.20.
P R Girlfriend was the second choice in the betting on both days, while third-place Inewagallikethat was the beaten favorite both days.
Each of the races handled around $2,000 with win and double betting only.
The two-day meet was billed as family-friendly outing featuring free admission and activities for kids.
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