Prairie Meadows sprint stakes put spotlight on 2-year-olds

ALTOONA, Iowa – Prairie Meadows stages a pair of 5 1/2-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds Saturday evening: the $75,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile and the $75,000 Prairie Gold Lassie. Both are filled with mostly unexposed shippers and local maiden winners.

The Juvenile, which attracted six colts and two geldings, lacks a standout, although the 7-2 morning-line favorite, Brookerson, returns from an absence after winning the $52,826 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association Spring Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise on May 4.

Since relocating with trainer Dan McFarlane’s string to Canterbury Park, Brookerson has strung together a nice series of works over the Shakopee, Minn., surface, culminating with a five-furlong move in 1:01.60 last Saturday.

Along with six of his rivals, Brookerson will step onto the Altoona oval for the first time.

With several of these expected to gun for the early lead, the pair of debut winners from Arlington Park, Mr Lightning Boy and Private Prospect, are appealing, as both colts have shown the ability to pass horses in the late going.

The boys are up first on the nine-race card, and the Juvenile has a scheduled post time of 8:44 p.m. Central.

KEY CONTENDERS

SHREWD MOVE (Last 3 Beyers: 36-66-40)
* Showed affinity for this surface when blowing apart a small field in what was essentially a 4 1/2-furlong time trial in 52.09 seconds. Also trained by McFarlane, his four-race career gives the Closing Argument colt an experience edge.
* Made the trip to Belmont Park for the June 20 Tremont Stakes and simply could not keep up with Bessie’s Boy, one of the favorites for Saratoga’s Grade 2 Sanford earlier Saturday.

MR LIGHTNING BOY (Last Beyer: 49)
* Showed determination when defeating a pair of foes late in his July 3 Arlington debut for trainer Dale Bennett and jockey Eddie Perez. The same tandem had sprinter Cool Cowboy win the May 2 Golden Circle here, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds.

FLYING FRANK (Last Beyer: 58)
* Pulled away late for a solid 2 1/4-length tally in a Canterbury 3 1/2-furlong maiden race. The Tim Padilla trainee appears to possess plenty of early zip.

SAINT GREELEY (Last Beyer: 58)
* This Iowa-bred impressed when cruising to an 8 1/4-length win June 1. He has experience over the track, where he also has posted several sharp works this season, which could prove an asset.

PRIVATE PROSPECT (Last Beyer: 65)
* Showed battling qualities with a late bid to snatch a half-length victory in a June 26 dash. Astutely claimed for $50,000 out of Keith Desormeaux’s stable, and new conditioner Michael Campbell puts blinkers on the Discreet Cat colt.

BROOKERSON (Last 2 Beyers: 66-44)
* This Henny Hughes colt was the toast of Turf Paradise this spring, registering two straightforward wins while exhibiting precocity. Jockey Cesar A. Ordaz makes a rare Midwestern foray to retain the mount.

PRAIRIE GOLD LASSIE (Race 8)

The Prairie Gold Lassie, with 10 fillies set to enter the starting gate, also is tough to decipher, but the locally based fillies appear to hold a stronger hand than the local boys in the Juvenile.

Both the Iowa-bred M B Prize and A Wild Notion impressed in their June debuts here and have trained forwardly since as they aim to put their home-track advantage to good use.

Strawberry Baby, who posted the highest Beyer (71) of any 2-year-old racing here Saturday, heads a trio of well-intended Lone Star shippers.

The Lassie is set for 9:37 p.m.

KEY CONTENDERS

AGGRESSIVE BEAUTY (Last 2 Beyers: 61-52)
* This well-regarded Midnight Lute filly, also conditioned by McFarlane, chased home Brookerson as the 9-10 favorite in that May 4 ATBA Spring Sales Stakes. Drew the rail and has worked sharply at Canterbury for her return.

CATS WEST (Last Beyer: 59)
* Commands respect following a professional 2 3/4-length Lone Star maiden win May 15. Bred in Texas by co-owner Keith Asmussen, the Steve Asmussen trainee could be the speed of the speed against these.

STRAWBERRY BABY (Last Beyer: 71)
* Prepared by trainer J.R. Caldwell, who has enjoyed a 10-for-36 season here, this Warrior’s Reward filly overcame the rail draw and pulled away nicely for a 2 3/4-length Lone Star debut win May 30. Jockey Dakota Wood makes the trek north for the return call.

M B PRIZE (Last Beyer: 58)
* Takes a step up in class after brushing aside Iowa-bred rivals with a 3 3/4-length win June 21. The trainer-jockey combo of Jon Arnett and Ken Tohill strikes at a 25 percent clip.

A WILD NOTION (Last Beyer: 57)
* Asserted herself after racing between fillies for a 3 3/4-length score June 14. The January-foaled Notional filly makes a good impression with her consistent morning works over this surface.