Count N Gold enters Gray's Lake Stakes with something to prove
Impressive wins on a wet track always should be viewed somewhat skeptically, but if Count N Gold’s debut score April 30 at Prairie Meadows wasn’t tied too tightly to a sloppy track, he can win the $63,000 Gray’s Lake Stakes for Iowa-bred 3-year-olds on Saturday at Prairie Meadows.
Count N Gold is one of seven entrants in the six-furlong Gray’s Lake, race 8 of nine with a scheduled post time of 4:12 p.m. Central. Cornfed, drawn on the rail, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite, while One Fine Dream, who has post 6, one stall outside of Count N Gold, is the 3-1 second choice.
Count N Gold’s estimated odds are 7-2, and that might be a fair price to find out if he can build on his debut score. The Doug Anderson-trained gelding by Student Council mainly prepped for his unveiling at Oaklawn, and he was ready to roll when sent out to race for the first time. Breaking a touch slowly from an inside draw, he was eased into contention for the lead racing in a tight spot nearest the rail, but the trip didn’t faze the first-time starter, as Count N Gold, without seeming to exert much effort, began drawing clear at the top of the stretch and ran out a nine-length winner over Iowa-bred maidens.
He has come back with two interim workouts, including a bullet five furlongs in 59.60 seconds Sunday, and can get a comfortable trip from this draw under Alex Birzer.
One Fine Dream also won his debut, but that came last summer, and One Fine Dream went on to win the $73,000 Iowa Cradle for 2-year-olds, a race in which Cornfed finished third after being hindered by a stumbling start. Cornfed didn’t raced again until April 29, when he finished a decent fourth in the open Golden Circle Stakes. His wins last year came at 4 1/2 and five furlongs, and it’s fair to wonder – especially with a potentially tricky trip looming from the fence – whether precocity will prove to have been his strongest asset.
One Fine Dream, meanwhile, could do little with open allowance horses last fall, but after a shake-off-the-rust comeback run at Oaklawn, he was a mildly encouraging third while facing older first-level allowance foes in the mud May 13 at Prairie and might be the one Count N Gold has to beat to successfully step into stakes competition.