Prairie Meadows: Smack Smack rallies to win Prairie Gold Juvenile

ALTOONA, Iowa – Smack Smack exhibited a potent turn of foot to mow down five rivals and pull away late for a three-length tally in Saturday's $75,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile.

Dawdling a bit through an opening quarter-mile after which he was eight lengths behind the pacesetting Bad Boy Peter, jockey Jake Barton gave Smack Smack a few taps of the whip, and the Don Von Hemel-trained Closing Argument gelding responded.

Swinging five wide for the stretch run, Smack Smack, now 2 for 2, with both wins over this surface, caught the 12.20-1 Canterbury shipper Deadly Black Eagle, who had taken over turning for home. The locally based Chris Hartman trainee Da Belldozer kept on to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind Deadly Black Eagle.

Churchill Downs shipper Big Blue Talent, favored at 7-5, faded out of contention leaving the turn, and the Arlington Park-based Bad Boy Peter, sent off at 1.70-1, gave way after setting solid fractions of 22.28 and 46.34 seconds.

Bred and owned by Toby Keith's Dream Walkin Farms, Smack Smack ($17.80) covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05:87 and earned $45,000.

Von Hemel, the father of successful trainers Donnie K. and Kelly R. Von Hemel, continued his excellent season here by registering his 10th win from just 23 starters.

Designer Legs wins Prairie Gold Lassie

Designer Legs, who made the trek south from Canterbury Park for trainer Gary Scherer, closed strongly under Shane Laviolette to win Saturday’s $75,000 Prairie Gold Lassie by a half-length.

Undefeated after two starts, Designer Legs went past Churchill shipper Divergent View, who had beaten Saratoga's Grade 3 Schuylerville co-winner Brazen Persuasion in her June 28 maiden win, and the pacesetting Bakken Baby in the final sixteenth. Churchill transplant and 6-5 favorite More Than Beauty never got untracked after stumbling at the start and wound up fifth in the field of eight.

Designer Legs ($18.60), a Louisiana-bred Graeme Hall filly, got the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:06.19 and collected $45,000 for owner Valene Farms.

Laviolette, who scored his 2,000th career win earlier at this meet, picked up the mount on Designer Legs when jockey Denny Velazquez opted to stay at Canterbury.