Prairie Meadows: Rematch in John Wayne Stakes
Cainam upset the favored Shock Hazard in the 2015 edition of the John Wayne Stakes for Iowa-breds, and – theoretically, at least – the same thing could happen again Saturday evening at Prairie Meadows.
Shock Hazard won an allowance race on April 30, 2015, at Prairie Meadows that made him the 3-5 favorite in the John Wayne, a six-furlong dash worth $79,000 last year but booked at $60,000 this season. But Shock Hazard broke awkwardly, raced rank, and had no zip for the stretch drive as Cainam rolled home from the back of the pack at odds just less than 6-1.
The break means everything for Shock Hazard, an all-or-nothing type who needs the lead for his best. He’s well drawn on the outside of a nine-horse field Saturday and, with a good start, should make amends for his defeat in this race a year ago, though probably at odds lower than his 7-2 morning-line price.
Jon Arnett trains both Shock Hazard and Cainam, and Cainam is an entirely different sort of horse, a one-run closer who needs a fast, contested pace to win. He caught slop last out in the race where Shock Hazard finished first (only to be disqualified to third for veering out at the start) and will need someone to hook and cook his stablemate to score a second straight surprise in the John Wayne.