Open Minded overdue for second win

ALTOONA, Iowa - Graded stakes-placed Open Minded leads a field of six 3-year-old fillies in the $50,000 Panthers Stakes at one mile on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows.

Open Minded finished second, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, by multiple graded stakes winner Mystic Lady in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream in January. Open Minded, trained by Steve Asmussen, then finished sixth, beaten six lengths, in the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn in April.

In her most recent start Open Minded finished third as the 8-5 favorite in a turf allowance event at Churchill on May 16. Owned by Gary Tanaka, Open Minded has won only one of her nine career starts but has been competitive in several races against tougher opposition than she will face in the Panthers.

Open Minded's main competition Saturday may come from Chicago area shipper Kerry Blue. Trained by Jeff Lynn, Kerry Blue was disqualified to fifth from a 4 1/4-length victory against allowance company in a 1 1/16-mile race on June 2 at Hawthorne in her first try around two turns. The consistent daugther of Cure the Blues had finished on the board in her previous six starts. Larry Sterling will be in for the mount aboard Kerry Blue in the Panthers.