Shotgun Kowboy to take second crack at Cornhusker

Iowa is the next frontier for Shotgun Kowboy.

Shotgun Kowboy, who won the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap in his third attempt last Sunday, will take a second crack at Iowa’s premier race for older horses, the Grade 3, $300,000 Cornhusker. The Cornhusker is July 6 at Prairie Meadows.

“That gives me better than 30 days between races,” said C.R. Trout, who bred, owns and trains Shotgun Kowboy. “He’s getting a little age on him, and he needs that time.”

Shotgun Kowboy, who is 6, ran second by a neck in the 2016 Cornhusker. He came into that race off a runner-up finish in the Lone Star Park Handicap. Shotgun Kowboy also ran in the Lone Star in 2017, finishing third – a year before wiring Sunday’s field for a Beyer Speed Figure of 95.

The win Sunday was the third on the year for Shotgun Kowboy, who became a millionaire with a February allowance win at Oaklawn. He won an additional allowance at the track in March before coming home 1 1/2 lengths in front in the Lone Star.

“It means so much because we bred, raised, and broke him,” Trout, 73, said. “He’s just come along at a good time in my life. Lots of highs. I can’t tell you how good it makes me feel when he wins.”

Shotgun Kowboy is the second millionaire trained by Trout, with the first being Maysville Slew. The horses are from the same female family. Trout said he bought the dam of Maysville Slew, Shotgun Romance, for $5,000 at auction at Keeneland. Shotgun Romance also produced both Shotgun Jane, who is the dam of Shotgun Kowboy, and Rosieville, who is the dam of Shotgun Gulch, a Grade 1 winner for Trout.

Shotgun Jane was bred this year to Upstart and this week was due to arrive back at Trout’s farm in Edmond, Okla., after being in Kentucky. Trout’s farm also is home to Maysville Slew.

“He’s 22,” Trout said. “He just looks after the babies.”

Lone Star handled $1,765,172 on its 10-race card from all sources Sunday. The number is up 52 percent from $1.1 million on the corresponding card in 2017, according to figures provided by Lone Star.