Theperfectvow should enjoy return to statebred company in Bob Bryant

Theperfectvow was no match for Vertical Oak on April 29 in the open Goldfinch Stakes, her 3-year-old debut, but she should race far more effectively facing fellow Iowa-bred 3-year-old fillies Friday night in the $63,000 Bob Bryant Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

Theperfectvow broke from the rail over a sloppy track in the Goldfinch, stalked the leader from a few lengths off the pace, but then was overwhelmed from the three-furlong pole home by Vertical Oak. Theperfectvow finished fourth of six while beaten 17 lengths by the winner. Even that modest showing took on a brighter shine, though, when Vertical Oak returned to win the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, and there’s a strong chance Theperfectvow’s trainer, Robertino Diodoro, was merely using the Goldfinch as a prep for Iowa-bred competition.

Theperfectvow kept to Iowa-bred company during her two-start 2016 campaign, winning a maiden race and the Iowa Sorority Stakes. She shows two works since the Goldfinch and figures to go postward well below her 3-1 morning-line odds.

Rainbow Sparkle is listed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite after a debut maiden score earlier this meet and a third-place finish after dueling on the lead while facing older rivals in an Iowa-bred first-level allowance.

Win Winney actually finished a couple lengths ahead of Theperfectvow in the Goldfinch but returned to finish last in a May 18 Iowa-bred allowance race and was solidly beaten by Theperfectvow last summer.

The Bryant is carded as the eighth of nine races Friday with a post time of 9:12 p.m. Central.

:: Get PPs for Friday's card at Prairie Meadows

◗ Way Striking got a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure for running 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.77 while winning the $65,000 Jim Rasmussen Memorial on Monday at Prairie Meadows. Way Striking set a strong pace and won by 3 3/4 lengths with relative ease, and the speed figure he earned suggests the 4-year-old Mercedes Stable homebred, trained by Diodoro, could be a serious local player July 8 in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker.