Grand Contender, Right to Vote top new-look Prairie Meadows Handicap

ALTOONA, Iowa – Saturday’s featured $75,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap has a new look this season. The distance has been cut back from 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/16 miles, and its purse has been trimmed by 25 percent to accommodate other stakes’ purse increases.

Won in resounding fashion last season by Golden Ticket, who subsequently ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, this season’s Handicap drew an enticing field of eight older horses. Headed by Grand Contender and Right to Vote, the goal of attracting a larger, more competitive field was met.

Grand Contender, trained by Tom Amoss at Churchill Downs, has been a force in Louisiana and Texas all year, including back-to-back Grade 3 wins at Lone Star Park in the Texas Mile and Lone Star Park Handicap. Jockey David Mello, who has built a large lead in the race for this meet’s riding title, climbs aboard for the first time.

Right to Vote, who has become familiar with the trek from Louisville, Ky., to Altoona, makes his third start here after winning the May 26 Jim Rasmussen Memorial and running a game second by a neck to Carve in the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap on June 28. Ricardo Santana Jr. returns to town to retain the mount.

The Prairie Meadows Handicap is set for 9:37 p.m. Central.

KEY CONTENDERS

Grand Contender (Last 3 Beyers: 96-97-97)

This ultra-consistent 6-year-old gelding had a three-race winning streak snapped last out when third behind Sunbean in the Evangeline Downs Mile. Grand Contender was unable to use his tactical speed to get his head in front at any stage on that occasion.

He has breezed a pair of half-miles at Churchill Downs, including a maintenance drill in 50.80 seconds Tuesday, to keep him sharp.

Finished third in his only race over this surface, a six-furlong allowance sprint last August, but that marked a return from a seven-month layoff.

Right to Vote (Last 3 Beyers: 95-92-94)

Started the year with a pair of Oaklawn Park wins, including a victory in the Feb. 15 Essex Handicap. The long-striding 5-year-old gelding has shown an affinity for the surface in recent weeks. His Cornhusker effort matched a career-high Beyer Speed Figure, as trainer Ron Moquett continues to find enough improvement to keep him potent at this level.

Similar to Grand Contender, Right to Vote relies on tactical speed and can control the pace. Drawn to his chief rival’s inside, the tactics employed by jockey Santana could be decisive.

For Greater Glory (Last 3 Beyers: 92-86-85)

Based at Churchill with trainer Steve Hobby, this deep-closing 4-year-old colt is in excellent form, signaled by his flying finish to capture a tough June 28 allowance route. Usually not quick in his morning work, For Greater Glory’s 49-second breeze Sunday indicates readiness.

Donoharm (Last 3 Beyers: 60-90-98)

Dismiss a subpar turf try last out, and this familiar rival to both Grand Contender and Right to Vote has the ability to turn the tables on that well-regarded pair. However, the 5-year-old gelding’s last stakes win came at the start of 2013 in Oaklawn’s Fifth Season Handicap.

Trainer Bret Calhoun, who has had plenty of success in recent years here during the Iowa Festival of Racing, sends out Donoharm for his first runner of the meet.

Fordubai (Last 3 Beyers: 84-81-79)

This 4-year-old Chicago-based colt’s form has tailed off since he defeated Grand Contender in the Jan. 18 Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds. The 103 Beyer he achieved that day is the best career figure in this field.

Shows a trio of recent bullet workouts over Arlington’s Polytrack and stretches back out to his preferred route distance, as trainer Greg Geier aims for a form reversal.