Prairie Meadows: Avalance Pass figures out front in Iowa Legacy

Saturday night’s featured $40,000 Iowa Legacy Stallion Stakes, a six-furlong event for previously nominated 3-year-olds, provides an opportunity for Iowa-sired runners to chase a top prize early in their careers.

The group of eight is headed by Avalanche Pass, who hails from leading trainer Ray Tracy’s red-hot stable. After cruising by 6 1/2 lengths in her five-furlong debut April 27, Avalanche Pass dueled and faded in the Bob Bryant Stakes on May 19. She looks like the controlling speed under jockey Israel Ocampo.

Trainer Chris Richard, second in the local standings with 29 wins to Tracy’s 33, sends over a live contender in You Funny Man, who was privately purchased by River Ridge Ranch LLC after his juvenile campaign. You Funny Man exhibited his determination when wearing down foes in a six-furlong maiden race by three-quarters of a length on May 24. He looked capable of further improvement when cruising through a four-furlong drill here in 47.45 seconds last Saturday.

Trainer Dick Clark, who won the inaugural running of this event last season with Ginger Added, has the gelding Diable River and the filly Gray Edge ready for this year’s renewal. Gray Edge, who won her maiden by 3 1/2 lengths on May 31, is an improving sort who handled slop nicely in her lone win.

Deep closer A Little Edgy and the once-raced filly So King, second to Avalanche Pass in that April 27 race, will attract some attention.
Lake’s Edge and Cheese Biz, who tries blinkers for the first time, round out the field.