Tin Badge now 2 for 2 with Iowa Stallion triumph

Tin Badge had to work for it this time, but he ran his career mark to two wins from two starts when he won the $79,784 Iowa Stallion Futurity on Friday night at Prairie Meadows.

Tin Badge, ridden by Glen Corbett for trainer Gregory Zielenski and owner-breeder Mamas Thoroughbreds LLC, won his debut in an Iowa-bred 2-year-old maiden race June 14 by six lengths. Friday night, facing stronger competition and breaking from the rail, Tin Badge made the lead, dueled through a quarter in 22.41 seconds and a half in 45.91, shrugged off his pace rival One Last Empress into the homestretch, then held on to win by three-quarters of a length as One Last Empress came back on again in the final furlong.

Tin Badge, a gelding, was timed in 1:04.88 for 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track and paid $2.80 as the heavy favorite. The filly One Last Empress was easily second-best, finishing more than seven lengths clear of third-place Cowboys Ransome.

The Iowa Stallion Futurity was restricted to horses whose sires were nominated to an annual auction held by the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, and whose owners kept up nomination payments to the Iowa Stallion series.