Thetrashmanscoming upsets Prairie Mile
It took a while but Thetrashmanscoming appears to have figured out this racing thing.
A 14-start maiden until May 19, Thetrashmanscoming finally won a race that day and won big, rolling home by more than eight lengths, and Friday night at Prairie Meadows he came right back to capture the $65,000 Prairie Mile, getting up by a nose over 6-5 favorite Captain Von Trapp.
Thetrashmanscoming, ridden by Terry Thompson, still was only fifth of six, more than six lengths behind pace-setting Strong Will, after six of the Prairie Mile’s eight furlongs had been run, at which point he looked a very unlikely winner. Captain Von Trapp had pressed a very moderate 48.37-second half-mile, went up to take the lead before the quarter pole, and had opened three lengths at the stretch call. But as Captain Von Trapp, stretching back out to two turns from the one-turn Pat Day Mile, began to wobble, Thetrashmanscoming had found his best stride, narrowing the favorite’s lead stride by stride and nipping him at the line.
The top two were much the best, Dazzling Truths finishing more than three lengths farther back in third as Thetrashmanscoming completed one mile over a fast track in 1:39.19. A 17-1 shot, he paid $36.40 to win this prep for the Iowa Derby.
David Anderson trains Thetrashmanscoming for owner Rodney Paden, who saw his horse earn $39,000 in one night after banking about $64,000 in his first 15 starts. Paden bought Thetrashmanscoming at Keeneland’s September yearling sale of 2017, paying $125,000 for this 3-year-old son of Take Charge Indy and the Distorted Humor mare Awesome Humor. Thetrashmanscoming is the 10th foal to race from Awesome Humor, a Grade 1 winner during her career, but the first of them to win a stakes race. A month ago, when Thetrashmanscoming was struggling to win any kind of race, that would’ve seemed improbable.
Taylor’s Spirit still perfect at Prairie
Taylor’s Spirit successfully stretched out from sprint races to a two-turn mile while remaining undefeated at Prairie Meadows when she captured the $61,750 Panthers Stakes by 2 ¾ lengths Thursday night.
Facing just three foes after Crafty’s Dream was scratched from this local prep for the Iowa Oaks, Taylor’s Spirit and jockey Kevin Roman let Q Go Girl set a slow pace, going a half-mile in 49.17, while closely tracking the leader. Taylor’s Spirit took over the lead at the head of the homestretch and stayed on solidly, comfortably beating runner-up Drinking Dixie, who also passed Q Go Girl as 3-2 favorite Backflash faded to finish a distant last.
Taylor’s Spirit paid $5.80 to win and ran a mile on a fast track in 1:38.86.
Scott Gelner trains Taylor’s Spirit for Mark Norman and Norman Stables, and in addition to an excellent overall mark of 11-6-2-1, Taylor’s Spirit now has won all four of her starts at Prairie Meadows. Taylor’s Spirit is a daughter of Algorithms and Spirit Rising, by Dehere.