Von Hemel has two for Iowa Stallion Stakes

ALTOONA, Iowa – Prairie Meadows on Saturday stages a pair of restricted, $60,000 stakes for 3-year-olds who were nominated and kept eligible – the Iowa Stallion and Iowa Stallion Filly stakes. Trainer Kelly Von Hemel has a strong hand in the Iowa Stallion, with Caribbean Cowboy and Holdmegold set to face eight other colts and geldings.

Caribbean Cowboy, the top Iowa-bred juvenile of 2014, has had a frustrating season, including a well-beaten fifth in the Gray’s Lake, a six-furlong sprint for Iowa-bred sophomores May 29. The Petionville colt will tackle the Iowa Stallion’s distance of one mile and 70 yards for the first time.

Holdmegold, a capable maiden, has produced back-to-back solid efforts when second at this distance in recent weeks here. On May 15, he followed home Iowa Stallion foe Desanctus, and on June 25, he led late before succumbing to Unbridled Rocky.

Desanctus, trained by Clinton Stuart, who is 6 for 15 here since June 20, looks to bounce back after finishing seventh June 19 in an Iowa-bred allowance route.

KEY CONTENDERS

Hi Five Cy (Last 2 Beyers: 37-50)

Deep-closing maiden gets blinkers for the first time.

Desanctus (Last 3 Beyers: 35-60-59)

His two May efforts at this distance would have him in the mix.

Caribbean Cowboy (Last 3 Beyers: 48-48-48)

Has been done no favors by inside draws in three below-average efforts this year.

Makes his route debut for Von Hemel, who is 9 percent in 2014-15 in two-turn races.

Holdmegold (Last 3 Beyers: 46-59-44)

Routinely posts bullet workouts and has been a beaten favorite in three of his five maiden races.

Bad Moon (Last 3 Beyers: 42-61-58)

Claimed by the Lynn Chleborad stable for $12,500 on June 4.

Has failed to stay route distances in three consecutive defeats here.

Esperanza, Zealous Vision stand out

The first running of the Iowa Stallion Filly Stakes, a one-mile test that overfilled with 12 entrants, includes a standout pair of Oklahoma-breds, Esperanza and Zealous Vision.

Esperanza, a Poindexter Thoroughbreds LLC homebred conditioned by Chleborad, crushed a group of maidens by 7 1/4 lengths in a June 21 route here and earned a 72 Beyer Speed Figure.

Zealous Vision, victorious in Oklahoma-bred stakes races at Remington Park last October and Will Rogers Downs on May 2, has good tactical speed for trainer Scott Young and breeder and owner Center Hills Farm.

KEY CONTENDERS

Esperanza (Last 3 Beyers: 72-62-66)

Partnered with leading rider Ramon Vazquez, who is 61 for 240 here and has won 16 percent of his mounts for Chleborad in 2014-15.

Raegan Harper (Last 3 Beyers: 41-30-29)

Larry Hunt Sr.-trained homebred tries hard and is eligible to improve in her first route race.

Zealous Vision (Last 3 Beyers: 61-46-44)

Experienced filly has 10 lifetime starts and breezed a good five furlongs in 1:01.80 here July 3.

Jockey Belen Quinonez, who wins at a 20 percent clip for this stable in 2014-15, retains the mount.