Prairie Meadows: Synco Peach hot

ALTOONA, Iowa - Synco Peach and Sue's Good News head a field of eight entered in the $40,000 Iowa State Fair Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

Synco Peach was a gate-to-wire three-quarter-length winner over Sue's Good News in a seven-furlong optional claiming race at Arlington Park Aug. 5, the most recent start for each.

The win was Synco Peach's fourth in five starts in 2004 for trainer Percy Scherbenske. A 4-year-old daughter of Whatjathink, Synco Peach tries for her first career stakes win when she cuts back to six furlongs in Saturday's State Fair Stakes.

Synco Peach has shown the ability to stalk the early pace in several of her wins, which should work well on Saturday, as the State Fair is filled with front-runners.

Synco Peach's regular rider, Larry Sterling Jr., will be in from Chicago for the mount. Synco Peach will carry co-high weight of 124 pounds.

Sue's Good News is looking for her first win of 2004 after scoring five wins, including the Grade 3 Singapore Plate at Arlington, in 2003.

The expected hot early pace should play to Sue's Good News's favor, as she has been running at longer distances all year and has a 2-for-2 career record at Saturday's distance. Steve Hobby trains Sue's Good News, who should make a late run under jockey Tim Doocy.

The inconsistent Dharma Girl rates an upset look from off the pace. Dharma Girl has hit the board just twice in seven starts in 2003-2004 but posted upset victories in each of those races, including the six-furlong Isaac Murphy Handicap for Illinois-breds at Arlington on June 26 at 17-1. The Murphy was Synco Peach's only loss of the year, as she faded to eighth as the 7-5 favorite.

Dharma Girl's regular rider, Carlos Silva, retains the mount.