Iowa Festival of Racing starts with four first-time stakes winners

The first night of the Iowa Festival of Racing at Prairie Meadows produced four new stakes winners in Joyful Cadence, Macron, Jilted Bride, and Janet Is Ready.

The horses won for the four Thoroughbred stakes on the card. The $1.2 million series of races continues Saturday night with four more Thoroughbred stakes, led by the Grade 3, $300,000 Cornhusker.

Joyful Cadence ($2.10) was the easiest of winners in the $100,000 Saylorville for fillies and mares at six furlongs. She raced with the pace through an opening quarter in 22.55 seconds and a half-mile in 45.84 and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:11.04.

Joyful Cadence won in hand under jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

“I didn’t give her a big gallop-out because it was like she was galloping from the eighth pole to the wire,” Gutierrez said in a post-race interview broadcast by Prairie Meadows.

Joyful Cadence won by 5 3/4 lengths over Blinkers. It was another two lengths back in third to Upandcomingstar.

John Ortiz trains Joyful Cadence for WSS Racing. The daughter of Runhappy has now won 4 of 11 starts for earnings of $352,967. She is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and $10 million earner Country Grammer.

Double for Asmussen, Elliott

Jilted Bride ($6.20) became the first of two stakes winners on the card for trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Stewart Elliott when she pushed past Graysonsmacho Gal for a head win in the $100,000 Iowa Distaff. It was another five lengths back in third to Becca’s Rocket.

Jilted Bride settled in fourth off of Graysonsmacho Gal, who set fractions of 23.49 for the opening quarter, 47.22 for the half-mile, and 1:11.56 for six furlongs. Jilted Bride put in her run through the stretch and in the late stages worked past a stubborn Graysonsmacho Gal. Jilted Bride covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.47.

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

“She got in a little battle,” Elliott said in a post-race interview broadcast by Prairie Meadows. “She did what she had to do. She was game.”

Jilted Bride is a daughter of Wicked Strong who has now won 5 of 19 starts for earnings of $470,922. She races for the partnership of Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine, Zane Carruth, and Brady Carruth.

Macron ($13.20) settled just off the pace in the $100,000 Iowa Sprint and went on to a 2 3/4-length win over Minister of Soul. It was another 7 3/4 lengths back in third to Oil Money.

Oil Money was a slight favorite over Top Gunner, who lost all momentum when bounced off the rail into the turn. There was a stewards’ inquiry after the race, but no change was made to the order of finish. The incident did not involve the top three finishers.

Macron sat just off Minister of Soul through fractions of 22.02 for the opening quarter and 44.64 for the half-mile. Macron shuttled home, covering six furlongs in 1:09.25.

“Turning for home, he just took off,” said Elliott, who was aboard for Asmussen.

Macron has now won 4 of 13 starts and earned $340,973. He is a son of Frosted and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Egg Drop. Macron races for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables, and Spendthrift Farm.

* Janet Is Ready ($45.20) set the pace and held for a head win over Arizona Kalei in the $100,000 Prairie Gold Lassie. The winner covered 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.62. Alex Canchari was aboard for trainer Chasey Deville Pomier. Janet Is Ready is a daughter of Custom for Carlos, while her dam is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Euroears. Janet Is Ready is now 2 for 3 for earnings of $80,900. She races for Carl Deville, Gerald Bruno Jr., Our Blue Streaks Stable, and Jerry Caroom.

* The Prairie Meadows track was listed as good ahead of the card Friday night, but was fast by the first race. The second night of festival racing will start at 6 p.m. Central on Saturday.