LD's Shes Special repeats in Hawkeyes Handicap

LD's Shes Special rallied from last to win the $75,000 Hawkeyes Handicap for the second straight year Friday night at Prairie Meadows.

"It was a lot tougher this time," said Larry Dunbar, who the breeder-owner-trainer of the 7-year-old LD's Shes Special. "It's hard to repeat.

LD's Shes Special ($21.60) ran similarly to her victory in last year's Hawkeyes by dropping back to ninth and making a late run. Front-runner Tak a Joke battled early with Beyond the Reach, and the two went through the early fractions of 23.31 seconds, 47.34, and 1:12.43 in the 1 1/16-mile race. Jockey Perry Compton positioned LD's Shes Special far behind and unhurried early. She circled the field around the far turn, and steadily finished to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Tak a Joke while completing the distance in 1:45.46. It was another length back to the 32-1 longshot Burning Faith. Go Milan Go, favored at 8-5, finished fifth.