Sure Fire Friend noses Holt County in Gray's Lake Stakes

Sure Fire Friend lasted by a nose over Holt County in the $63,150 Gray’s Lake Stakes for Iowa-bred 3-year-olds giving trainer Gene Jacquot stakes wins on back-to-back Saturdays at Prairie Meadows.

The 9-year-old gelding Apprehender was a rousing winner of the Ed Skinner Memorial on May 26 and on Saturday a barnmate a third his age was just game enough to preserve a race-long lead in the Gray’s Lake. Pushed through splits of 22.43 and 45.29, Sure Fire Friend shrugged off pace rivals Hilton Friend and favored Tin Badge, had a half-length lead at the stretch call and got his nose down in front of a closing Holt County.

The top two were much the best with Tin Badge two lengths behind in third. Sure Fire Friend ran six furlongs on a “good” track in 1:10.06 and paid $7.40 to win and received a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.

Ken Tohill rode the winner for Jacquot and owners Brian Hall and River Ridge Ranch. Sure Fire Friend, by Yes It’s True out of Friendly Emma, by Friendly Lover, won a maiden race from three starts while trained last year by Paul Pearson and has improved markedly at age 3. He was second by a neck with a career-best 77 Beyer Speed Figure in a May 20 allowance race and went one place better Saturday for the richest payday of his career.