Chicago shippers sweep Prairie Meadows Handicap

ALTOONA, Iowa - Three Chicago invaders based at Arlington Park rose to the occasion in Saturday's $75,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap to complete a $227.40 trifecta in convincing fashion over a trio of locally-based challengers. Stonehouse, who returned $11.60 to win, won over the readily dismissed Sebastian County, an 11-1 longshot, and track specialist Shadowbdancing, who was sent off the odds-on 1-2 favorite.

In the Grade 2 Cornhusker Handicap here June 27, Stonehouse's chances were compromised by a troubled trip from his inside berth. He made amends Saturday under veteran rider Perry Compton and rallied for a three-quarter-length success over the hard-charging Sebastian County. Shadowbdancing, off a beat slow, set typically lively fractions of 23.68 and 47.25 in the 1 1/16-mile event. Stonehouse, trained by Spanky Broussard for owners Richard Rudolph and Michael Vranich, sttled into a striking position and took full advantage.

Despite the Don Von Hemel-trained Sebastian County's bold rally, under Ken Shino, Stonehouse managed to hold his rival at bay through the stretch and won in a time of 1:42.73. Shadowbdancing held on for third another 1 1/2 lengths back, finishing in front of Red Hot N Gold, the best Iowa-bred in racing, Wayzata Bay, victorious in this race the last three years, and Tiger Lake.

Collecting $45,000 for his connections, Stonehouse, a 5-year-old Illinois-bred horse by Chester House, pushed his lifetime earnings to $504,066.