Prairie Meadows: Von Hemel wins three on Iowa Classic Night

ALTOONA, Iowa - Trainer Kelly Von Hemel scored in three of the seven stakes races on Iowa Classic Night on Saturday at Prairie Meadows.

The Von Hemel-trained Peaks of Legend, a rallying 1 1/2 length winner of his lone maiden try on July 9 here, showed tactical speed in the $85,558 Iowa Cradle Stakes and dusted his 2-year-old rivals by five lengths.

Earning $51,335 for owner breeders Richard and Vickie Cosaert, Peaks of Legend ($19.80), an imposing Peaks and Valleys gelding, covered six furlongs in 1:11.24.

Fellow Von Hemel trainee Someplace Else stalked and pounced to score by 5 1/4 lengths in the $81,462 Iowa Breeders' Oaks. Sent off surprisingly as the 9-10 favorite against the unbeaten Ginger Added, Someplace Else seized command at the head of the stretch and drew off from the deep closer Jeffell.

Someplace Else, a 3-year-old Harlan's Holiday filly owned and bred by Stephen Hyrtrek's Prairie Lane Farms LLC, covered one mile and 70 yards in 1:43.28 brought home $49,874.

Prairie Lane Farms kept the Von Hemel roll going in the $83,950 Iowa Breeders' Derby when the pacesetting One Hundred Proof held off the determined Runaway Walkaway by a neck.

One Hundred Proof ($4.60), a gelded 3-year-old by Friends Lake, earned $50,370.

Tom Lepic's homebred Evansville Slew filly Here Comes Polly ($10) rallied strongly and drew off late by 3 1/4 lengths from the Von Hemel trainee Dazzling Pioneer in the six-furlong, $85,066 Iowa Sorority Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Here Comes Polly is trained by trained by Tim Martin.

Mutti Blues ($10) prevailed in a stretch-long duel with stablemate Cresco Direct Hit to take the $66,300 Iowa Classic Sprint Stakes. Owned by owned by Leroy Gessman's Umbrella Stables LLC, Mutti Blues won by a hard-fought neck in a quick 1:09.72 for six furlongs. Mutti Blues keyed an all Chris Richard-trained exacta that returned $30.

Cainam ($7.80), conditioned by Lynn Chleborad, rallied from last at the half-mile marker under Glenn Corbett to take the 1 1/16-mile, $94,450 Ralph Hayes Stakes by one length from Ice Hockey. Cainam is owned by James R. Leech.

The 8-year-old L D's She Special ($43.40), owned, bred and trained by Larry Dunbar, circled her 10 rivals to take the one mile and 70-yard, $99,550 Donna Reed Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths under Corbett.