Smiles Ahead right back in winner's circle

ALTOONA, Iowa - When Wilson Brown saw Smiles Ahead on the track before the $75,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile at Prairie Meadows on Saturday, he was confident. "They better put their racing shoes on if they are going to beat him tonight," he said of the colt that he bred, owns, and trains.

Brown was right, as Smiles Ahead ($12.20) rallied from fifth to win the 5 1/2-furlong Juvenile, returning just seven days from his maiden victory to beat six other colts and geldings.

"I knew we were coming back pretty quickly, but Tony, my assistant, has done a fabulous job," said Brown.

Montellano and Fast Freight dueled through the early fractions in 21.67 and 45.14 seconds. Smiles Ahead rallied four-wide through the turn alongside Speed Demon. The pair brushed at the top of the lane, but both quickly recovered. Smiles Ahead outfinished the leader to win by a nose in the final strides. He covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.73. The 4-5 favorite Speed Demon held third.

Brown indicated that after running back so quickly in summer heat, Smiles Ahead will get some time off before being pointed to the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile at Remington Park on Oct. 22.

Lassie: Big Sweets goes gate to wire

Big Sweets ($32.80) broke sharply and led a field of 11 gate-to-wire to pull off an upset in the Prairie Gold Lassie, the fillies' division of Saturday's stakes for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Big Sweets entered the race off a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Debutante at Churchill Downs.

"She just didn't fire her charge in that out at Churchill," said trainer Don Roberson.

She fired tonight, though, breaking quickly and easily moving through the early fractions in 21.45 and 45.08. Jockey Glen Corbett kept the filly to task inside the final eighth, but she was never in peril. Big Sweets won by a final margin of 6 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:03.99. The 1-5 favorite Unbridlded Praise rallied well for second, finishing 3 1/2 lengths ahead of a fading Songofthecity.

Big Sweets is owned by the partnership of Paul Girdner, Reginald Jones, and Richard Hessee. Roberson indicated that he had no immediate plans for the filly but would evaluate their options.