Prairie Meadows

Prairie Meadows, the central Iowa oval, has released the stakes schedule for its upcoming 53-day Thoroughbred meeting.

Twenty-three stakes worth a combined total of more than $2.3 million will be contested at the April 26-July 6 meet, which will once again be highlighted by the Iowa Festival of Racing.

The festival, which this year runs from July 3-6, features eight stakes races, two per day, worth a total of over $1.3 million, and culminates with the premier race of the meet, the Grade 3, $400,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Breeders' Cup Handicap to be run at 1 1/8 miles on July 6.

Racing will be conducted on a five-day-a-week schedule. Monday and Tuesdays will feature afternoon racing with a 4 pm first post. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday first post will be at 6:45 pm.