Ghost Locket gets first stakes win in Saylorville

ALTOONA, Iowa – Ghost Locket ($25.20) responded to an aggressive ride from jockey Shane Laviolette to register a half-length win in Friday night's $100,000 Saylorville, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares.

Conditioned at Prairie Meadows by Don Von Hemel, the unheralded Ghost Locket, who had split two route races with Iowa Distaff champ Diva's Diamond here this season, had her stamina put to good effect under Laviolette.

After putting away the favored Sugar Shock on the turn, she edged clear leaving the turn and had enough late energy to fend off You Bought Her's determined bid. You Bought Her finished 1 1/2 lengths clear of the forwardly placed Haveyougoneaway for second place in the nine-horse field.

Bred and owned by country music star Toby Keith's Dream Walkin Farms Inc., Ghost Locket, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare, collected $59,100. On a comfortable summer evening, Keith, to the delight of his fans, was on hand for his mare's first stakes victory. Ghost Locket ran the Saylorville's six panels in 1:09.77.