Conagher brings 104-Beyer speed to Iowa Derby

Conagher put up one of the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figures for a 3-year-old in his most recent start.

Now, he’ll attempt to become a stakes winner.

Conagher gets both a class and distance test Saturday night, when he makes his stakes and two-turn debut in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows.

The 1 1/16-mile stakes is part of the Iowa Festival of Racing. There are four Thoroughbred stakes on the card, led by the Grade 3, $300,000 Cornhusker.

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The Iowa Derby drew a field of 10, but Actuator and Rattle N Roll are instead targeting the Indiana Derby on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Conagher faces a number of stakes winners, led by Grade 3 Iroquois hero Major General, Prairie Meadows standout Ain’t Life Grand, and local prep winner Rome.

But one thing setting him apart is the 104 Beyer he earned in his last start June 3, when he won a seven-furlong conditioned allowance at Churchill Downs in 1:20.62. It’s the lone triple-digit number in the field, and the fourth highest Beyer for a 3-year-old in 2022.

“He’s a really fast horse – we know that,” said trainer Mike Tomlinson. “The female family, his first and second dam, were two-turn mares, liked the distance. And he showed no signs of weakening going seven-eighths.

“We thought trying two turns would definitely be something that would open doors for us if he handles the two turns. We can always go back to sprinting if we need to, because we know how good he is at doing that.”

Conagher, a son of Jimmy Creed who races for Patricia’s Hope and Mark Farrar, is looking for his third straight win. He won a conditioned allowance over six furlongs April 13 at Keeneland to begin his streak. Conagher covered the distance in 1:09.95 and earned a 97 Beyer.

“We bought this colt last year as a 2-year-old privately,” Tomlinson said. “He broke his maiden going short on the grass at Colonial. We put him away for the winter and he’s just come back really good. With the stretch-out, we’ll see how that goes, but the race last time, he didn’t weaken at all going seven-eighths with extremely fast fractions.”

Conagher, who set the pace, won on June 3 over a Grade 1 winner in Gunite.

“So, we’re having pretty high hopes for the horse,” Tomlinson said.

Conagher will break from post 5 under regular rider Joe Rocco Jr.

“He’s absolutely push button,” Tomlinson said. “He’ll work in the morning just as fast as you want him to go. He broke his maiden from off the pace. He’s a different horse this year than he was last year. He’s kind of very laid back.”

Steve Asmussen has sent in Chileno for the Iowa Derby. Chileno won his maiden over older rivals going 1 1/16 miles May 30 at Churchill. The race came one start after the horse was third to Indiana Derby entrant Best Actor. Chileno in February was third to eventual Grade 3 winner We the People in a maiden race at Oaklawn.

“He’s kept good company all year,” said Asmussen. “He’s run several good races.”

Stewart Elliott has the mount on the son of Gun Runner and the multiple Group 1-winning mare Wapi.

After an unsuccessful try on turf last out, Major General is back on dirt. He won the Iroquois at Churchill last year going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. He also will be first Lasix. Javier Castellano has the mount for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Iowa Oaks

In April, Candy Raid closed from 12th to win the biggest race of her career, and she could get an ideal setup Saturday night in the Grade 3, $225,000 Iowa Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.

There appears to be a number of speed horses in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies, among them six-time stakes winner Free Like a Girl, Falconet, Hartley, Nosilverspoonshere, and sprint-to-route prospect My Friend Amy.

“We’re not going to try to reinvent what she’s showed she likes, and that’s coming from off the pace,” said Keith Desormeaux, who trains Candy Raid and owns her with Dont Tell My Wife Stables. “She came from off the pace in the Bourbonette at Turfway, in the allowance at Delta. It just seems that’s her style.”

Candy Raid defeated 11 others in the $250,000 Bourbonette on Tapeta in a performance that sent her to the Kentucky Oaks. She finished ninth with traffic trouble, seven lengths behind winner Secret Oath, and earned a career-high Beyer of 84.

“I was very proud of her effort in the Oaks,” said Desormeaux. “She did not embarrass herself.”

Candy Raid has raced once since, finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Regret on turf June 4 at Churchill.

“She’s training great,” Desormeaux said. “The grass experiment didn’t work too well. She didn’t get along with that turf course at Churchill at all. If she can regain her Turfway Park and Kentucky Oaks form, we’ll be in good shape.”

Candy Ride, who is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Last Samurai, will have James Graham aboard from post 5. She is cross-entered in the Indiana Oaks on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis but will run at Prairie Meadows, said Desormeaux.

Butterbean is another who can take advantage if the pace is quick. She closed from last to win the local prep, the Panthers, by more than five lengths June 11. It was the fifth Panthers win for her trainer, Kenny McPeek, and it came under Glenn Corbett, who has the mount again Saturday.

“I love the ride that Corbett put on her last time,” McPeek said. “I thought he did a fantastic job. He didn’t get wrapped up in the early pace. He let her settle and come running, and she ran big. I was real proud of her. She’s a solid filly, always runs good. This is a good next step for her.”

Falconet was a maiden winner at this distance at Keenland prior to an allowance win at Churchill. She is a daughter of Uncle Mo and the Grade 1-winning mare Birdatthewire.

◗ Undalay will be looking for his second straight win when he makes his stakes debut in the $100,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile at six furlongs. He comes off a maiden special weight in which he covered five furlongs in 58.30 seconds June 8 at Churchill.

“He was rolling right along last time,” said Asmussen, his trainer.

Elliott has the mount on Undalay from post 4.

“He’s very quick away from the gates,” Asmussen said. “I would expect more of the same.”

Free From Guilt, a maiden winner last out at Evangeline, is a half-brother to Iowa Oaks starter Free Like a Girl.

– additional reporting by Marcus Hersh