Speed battle looms in Gray's Lakes Stakes

On paper there is too much speed entered in the $63,150 Gray’s Lake Stakes for Iowa-bred 3-year-olds Saturday at Prairie Meadows. Four of the six entrants will want a forward placement, and if they fight too hard to secure one the race could fall to either of the stalking types entered.

The speed horses have the inside posts in this six-furlong tilt – Artie’s Rumor, Tin Badge, Sure Fire Friend, and Hilton Magic are drawn in that order. Tin Badge won all three of his starts – including two Iowa-bred stakes – as a 2-year-old of 2017, but has failed to show his best in three starts this year. Two of those races came against stronger opposition at Oaklawn Park, and last out at Prairie Meadows he faded while racing on a wet track for the first time. But even if Tin Badge rebounds he still faces the difficult pace situation.

Holt County and Back the Blue are the two that will be off the Gray’s Lake pace. Back the Blue should drop out to last. Holt County looks ripe for regression after making three starts already this meet, and Back the Blue, cutting back to a sprint from a mile, could be the right horse at the right price.