Saturday stakes recaps (6/5/04)

* South Africa made his stakes debut a successful one as he held on through the stretch to capture the Airline Stakes at Louisiana Downs. Smalltown Slew made a late run at South Africa but came up three-quarters of a length short.

* Josh's Madelyn ($9.80) stalked the pace to the final turn before rallying to score a 1 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Panthers Stakes at Prairie Meadows. She held off Platinum Ballet and finished the mile in 1:36.01.

* Placid Star, who suffered the only defeat of her seven-race career at the hands of Shes Dixies Eskimo in May, turned the tables to win the Frank A. "Buddy" Abadie Stakes at Evangeline.

* Jimmy Cracked Corn soundly defeated five rivals in the $40,000 St. Paul Stakes at Canterbury, completing the six furlongs in 1:08.94. Mississippi Rain held on for second.