Fair Grounds: Eden Prairie finishes strong to win Krantz Memorial Handicap

Eden Prairie won her second straight stakes of the Fair Grounds meet Saturday, when she reeled in 63-1 shot Masquerade in the $75,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap. Rosie Napravnik was aboard the winner, one of three stakes victories she had on the program. Napravnik also captured the Grade 3 Lecomte with Vicar’s In Trouble and the Grade 3 Colonel E R. Bradley with Daddy Nose Best.

Eden Prairie ($8) moved toward the front at the start of the about 1 1/16-mile race run on yielding turf, and Napravnik angled her just outside of Masquerade, who took the field through fractions of 24.25 seconds for the opening quarter, 49.73 for the half-mile, and 1:14.89 for six furlongs. Eden Prairie advanced three wide on the final turn and put in a determined bid to overtake Masquarade late for a length win. Eden Prairie covered the distance in 1:46.70.

“She finished strong, showed her class,” Napravnik said.

Neil Pessin trains Eden Prairie for Lothenbach Stables and said the filly could run next in the $60,000 Bayou Handicap at Fair Grounds on Feb. 22.

Eden Prairie is a 4-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast. She was bred in Kentucky by Dorothy Matz.