Kelly Von Hemel loaded in Iowa-bred juvenile stakes
Ain’t Life Grand and Demidanu have emerged as two of the most exciting 2-year-olds of the Prairie Meadows meet, and both will see stakes action on Saturday night’s closing card that features the Iowa Classics.
Ain’t Life Grand goes in the $91,866 Iowa Cradle, and Demidanu starts in the $91,866 Iowa Sorority.
“It’s always fun to have horses with potential,” said Kelly Von Hemel, who trains both Ain’t Life Grand and Demidanu.
Prairie Meadows will feature 12 races on closing night, including 11 stakes races for Iowa-breds. The card opens with four stakes for Quarter Horses, then continues with seven for Thoroughbreds. First post is 4 p.m. Central.
Ain’t Life Grand is 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. The race came at a mile, and for covering the distance in 1:37, Ain’t Life Grand earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 84.
“His last race – we’d been begging to stretch him out,” Von Hemel said. “He had the perfect trip. He’s just a big, grand-looking colt. Very talented. Every time he runs he shows us a little more.”
Ain’t Life Grand launched his career July 4 at Prairie Meadows with a 3 1/4-length win in a maiden special weight for Iowa-breds over five furlongs. He then finished a fast-closing third in the $72,000 Iowa Stallion Futurity at 5 1/2 furlongs on July 24 at Prairie Meadows. From there, the son of Not This Time was moved to two turns for the Radke.
“He’s done everything right,” Von Hemel said. “Through the summer he progressed very well. He likes to be a racehorse.”
Ain’t Life Grand will be cutting back to six furlongs for the Iowa-bred company in the Cradle. He will break from post 2, with Elvin Gonzalez aboard for breeder and owner RPM Thoroughbreds.
“I prefer to go two turns,” Von Hemel said. “This opportunity is what it is. I don’t think it’s a big deal cutting back. I’d rather go two turns.”
The chief threat could be Finish Up, who breaks from post 7 in the field of eight on Saturday. He is coming off a maiden special weight sprint win over open company on Aug. 15 at Prairie Meadows. One start prior, he was second to Ain’t Life Grand in a maiden sprint on July 4. Finish Up debuted in June at Prairie Meadows and finished first in a maiden special weight but was placed sixth for interference.
“Ain’t Life Grand is a very nice horse,” said Scott Young, who trains Finish Up. “He’s the only horse that’s ever outrun Finish Up, as a matter of fact. But with that being said, I think on Saturday night we’ll see a very good horse race between these two horses. Finish Up is coming into this race the best he’s been all summer long. He’s training very well. Obviously, I’ve got a lot of respect for the favorite, but I like our horse.”
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Demidanu is a two-time winner at the meet. She romped by eight lengths in her debut, which came over Iowa-bred maidens on June 27. She then finished seventh in a division of the Iowa Stallion Futurity and was found to have a lung infection, Von Hemel said. Demidanu bounced back with a 11 1/4-length win in an entry-level allowance sprint on Aug. 30.
“She makes no mistakes,” Von Hemel said. “And she has a whole lot of natural ability.”
Kevin Roman has the mount from the rail in the 10-horse Sorority.
“She’s pretty sharp, has natural speed,” Von Hemel said.
Kauai tops competitive field
Kauai could go favored in a field of 10 older horses making up the $100,000 Gov. Terry E. Branstad over 1 1/16 miles. He won the local allowance prep over a number of his rivals, and for the front-running effort earned what ranks as this field’s co-highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 81.
“I thought it was a really good race,” said Lynn Chleborad, who trains Kauai for breeder and owner Poindexter Thoroughbreds. “I thought the fractions were pretty quick, and it worried me a little bit.”
Kauai prevailed by a head over Chacha Real Smooth, who closed from next-to-last and earned a Beyer of 81.
Kauai will break from post 10 under Gonzalez. The horse is looking for his third career stakes win, and his seventh win at Prairie Meadows.
“Hopefully, he’ll show up for us,” Chleborad said. “It’s a tough race, a lot of horses in there.
“He’s really a nice horse, has a lot of natural, tactical speed. You can set him where you want. He doesn’t have to have the lead. If somebody’s going too fast, he can sit back.”
The chief threats include Net Gain, winner of the $65,000 Cyclones in August at Prairie Meadows.
Other highlights on the card include the $102,250 Iowa Breeders’ Oaks and $102,250 Iowa Breeders’ Derby.