Cornishman has Woodcourt to chase in Rasmussen
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Cornishman might have to reel in Woodcourt to win the $50,000 Jim and Sandra Rasmussen on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows.
The 1 1/16-mile race is one of two overnight stakes on the card, along with the $50,000 Prairie Mile for 3-year-olds. The races serve as the local preps for the respective Grade 3, $300,000 Cornhusker and $250,000 Iowa Derby that share a card July 11.
Cornishman won last year’s Cornhusker with a closing rush and since the start has used the same tactics to win two of his last eight starts, an allowance at Turf Paradise and the $100,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner in his most recent out April 21 at Fonner Park.
He was flattered last weekend when Thunders Rocknroll, who was fourth in the Bosselman, came back to win the $50,000 Lady Slipper at Canterbury Park.
Cornishman is moving from three turns to two for the Rasmussen, and his trainer, Dan McFarlane, has sharpened him for the distance move with a bullet five-furlong drill in 58 seconds on June 4 at Prairie Meadows.
Cornishman will be charged with running down Woodcourt when he starts from post 6 in the field of eight on Saturday.
Woodcourt looks like the controlling speed based on the wire job he pulled in a ratings handicap run at a mile at Oaklawn. He invades from Horseshoe Indianapolis for the Rasmussen and worked a bullet half-mile in 47 seconds for trainer Cipriano Contreras in his final prep June 3.
Walter De La Cruz has the mount on Woodcourt from post 8. The pair is situated just outside of a potential pace rival in Fountain Run, who is shortening up from 1 1/8 miles on Saturday.
If the pair were to end up disputing the pace, it could set the plate for Cornishman, who will be ridden by Elvin Gonzalez.
Prairie Mile
J J Grey will be armed with the field’s best career Beyer Speed Figure when he takes on stakes winners Daneyko, Independence Rise, and How About Bob in the Prairie Mile.
J J Grey earned an 87 Beyer for his first-level allowance win over 1 1/16 miles on May 2 at Oaklawn. J J Grey stalked the pace and stormed home by five lengths in a career performance for the son of Street Boss.
Glenn Corbett has the mount from post 2 for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Daneyko used closing tactics when he became a stakes winner in January in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at a mile at Sunland Park. He went on to run fourth in the Sunland Derby.
Independence Rise is a front-runner coming off an 8 3/4-length win in the Turf Paradise Derby on March 21. He was a 12-length winner of the track’s Luke Kruytbosch overnight stakes one start prior, on Feb. 18. The races were the first around two turns for Independence Rise.
How About Bob won the $50,000 Golden Circle over six furlongs at Prairie Meadows in his last start May 16. He’s moving back to two turns, and the last time he raced at the configuration he was second by a neck in a $50,000 overnight handicap May 2 at Will Rogers Downs.
◗ Post time for Fridays and Saturdays has been changed to 5 p.m. Central. There will be exceptions on July 3 and 4 and Sept. 26, when first post will be 4 p.m., and on July 10 and 11, when the races will start at 6 p.m.
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