Jockey Gonzalez notches four stakes wins on Iowa Classics card

Jockey Elvin Gonzalez won four of the seven Thoroughbred stakes on the Iowa Classics card Saturday night at Prairie Meadows, including the $91,866 Cradle with the promising 2-year-old Ain’t Life Grand.

The Iowa-bred stakes were part of a 12-race program that closed out the meet. There were four stakes for Quarter Horses.

Ain’t Life Grand ($2.20) was moving back into Iowa-bred company after a 10 3/4-length win in the $63,000 Richard Radke Memorial on Sept. 4 at Prairie Meadows. He dueled through fractions of 22.23 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.49 for the half-mile before going on to cover six furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.33.

Ain’t Life Grand won by 2 3/4 lengths over Finish Up. It was a head back in third to Kwai Chang.

Gonzalez was aboard the winner for his breeder, RPM Thoroughbreds, and trainer Kelly Von Hemel.

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Ain’t Life Grand is a son of Not This Time.

Gonzalez returned one race later to guide Bossy Moment ($15.40) to a 6 3/4-length win over 2-5 favorite Kela’s Turn in the $102,250 Iowa Breeders’ Oaks. The winner covered the one-mile, 70 yards for 3-year-old fillies in 1:41.62.

Bossy Moment is a daughter of Street Boss who races for her breeder, Poindexter Thoroughbreds, and is trained by Lynn Chleborad.

Gonzalez came right back and won another stakes, taking the $102,250 Iowa Breeders’ Derby with You Talkin to Me ($14.20). The winner closed from last for a 4 1/4-length victory over stablemate Time Goes On. You Talkin to Me covered the 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds in 1:46.04.

Von Hemel trains the winner, who is by Tapiture, for breeder and owner Maria Pauly.

Gonzalez had his final winner of the night in the $100,000 Donna Reed in which Topless ($22.60) closed from last for a 2 3/4-length victory over Olive Oyl. The winner covered the one-mile, 70-yards for fillies and mares in 1:43.49.

Topless is by Successful Appeal and is owned by Poindexter Thoroughbreds and trained by Chleborad.

Also on the card, Demidanu ($2.40) darted to a 3 3/4-length win over Ebony Pearl in the $91,866 Iowa Sorority, giving Von Hemel a sweep of the stakes for 2-year-olds. Demidanu set fractions of 22.04 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.81 for the half-mile before covering six furlongs for fillies in 1:11.29.

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The daughter of Formidable was ridden by Kevin Roman. She races for Lynette Dreifurst, Dana Hellbusch, Warren Hellbusch, and Anthony Schieffer Jr.

Also on the card, Topper T ($3.60) wired his rivals for a half-length victory over Basic Chance in the $85,000 Dan Johnson Sprint. The winner covered six furlongs in 1:09.78. Walter De La Cruz was aboard the son of Bellamy Road for Gene Burkholder and trainer Bill Martin.

Minecraft Maniac ($9.20) was always prominent for a 1 3/4-length win over favorite Kauai in the $100,000 Governor Terry E. Branstad. The winner covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.56. Ken Tohill was aboard the son of Midshipman for Warren L. Bush and trainer Doug Anderson.