Graded stakes winners Hightap and Hooh Why will attempt to upset the home track advantage of dual local stakes victor Don'ttalktome in the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (gr. III) June 26 at Prairie Meadows.
A total of eight 3-year-old fillies will go to post in the 1 1/16-mile contest, which precedes the $250,000 Iowa Derby. The Oaks has a post time of 9:45 p.m. CDT on Prairie Meadows' night card.
Don’ttalktome, who has garnered morning line odds of 9-2, has already shown an affinity for the Prairie Meadows surface, on which she has won her last two starts.
After breaking her maiden by 5 1/2 lengths last March at Tampa Bay Downs, the daughter of Cactus Ridge sailed to victory by 12 lengths in her black-type debut, the April 25 Goldfinch Stakes in the slop. Don’ttalktome followed up that win with another Prairie Meadows score in the June 6 Panthers Stakes at one mile.
Trained by Judi Hicklin for World Thoroughbreds Racing, the filly will be ridden by jockey Terry Thompson, who was aboard for both of her Prairie Meadows wins. Don’ttalktome was bred in Kentucky by Good Genes Farm and is out of the Phone Trick mare Withdrawn.
Looking to pick up a second graded stakes victory in their Prairie Meadows debuts are Hightap and Hooh Why.
Hightap has won three of her five career starts, including the May 30 Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) last out at Churchill Downs. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Hightap is trained by Steve Asmussen. In the irons will be regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan, who will break the gray or roan filly from post 7.
Hooh Why, the 24-1 upset winner of the April 4 Ashland (gr. I) at Keeneland, comes into the Iowa Oaks with a seasoned record of 4-3-4 from 12 starts, including a victory in the May 17 La Lorgnette Stakes last out at Woodbine. Trained by Ken Hoffman for Derby Daze Farm and Mark Hoffman, the filly will be attempting to win at her fourth different track. Hooh Why, the 3-1 favorite, drew post 4 and will be ridden for the first time by Robby Albarado.
Sweet Relish (7-2), will enter the Oaks off a victory in the May 25 Cinemine Stakes at Lone Star Park and has won three of seven starts. The filly will make her initial start at Prairie Meadows under jockey Quentin Hamilton. Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, she is owned by Pin Oak Stable.
Completing the field are Peach Brew, a restricted stakes winner at Remington Park; Monterey Street and Sweet and Flawless, who were second and third, respectively, behind Don’ttalktome in the Panthers; and allowance winner Mein Fraulein.
Following the Oaks, a field of nine is set for the Iowa Derby, which will go to post at approximately 10:17 p.m. Terrain and Proceed Bee are the only stakes winners in the $250,000 event.
Terrain, who had a bad trip in the May 16 Blackberry Preakness Stakes (gr. I) last out at Pimlico with a seventh-place effort, is looking to snap a six-race losing streak and score his first win of the 2009 season. The son of Sky Mesa , who was bred in Kentucky by owner Adele B. Dilschneider, last won by placing first via disqualification in the 2008 Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. III).
Trained by Albert Stall, Terrain also won last year’s Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes and placed second in the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland. His best effort this year came in the March 14 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds, where he ran third behind Friesan Fire . Terrain, who is the 7-2 favorite, will be ridden for the first time by Robby Albarado. The pair will break from post 4.
Proceed Bee has the advantage of having already won at Prairie Meadows. The son of Bernstein was impressive in his last start at the Iowa track when capturing the June 6 Prairie Mile Stakes by a length. He also won the Feb. 28 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park and ran third in that track’s Lanes End Stakes (gr. II) March 21--both on Polytrack.
Trained by Scott Becker for William Stiritz, he will break from the 2 post under jockey Terry Thompson. The pair has morning-line odds of 9-2.
Also vying for the Iowa Derby title are Conchacer and Uno Mas, who finished second and third, respectively, behind Proceed Bee in the Prairie Mile; graded stakes-placed His Greatness and Red Lead; stakes-placed Duke of Mischief ; and allowance winners Soul Warrior and Moonport.
$200,000 Iowa Oaks (gr. III, June 26, race 8, 9:45 p.m.), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Odds
1. Don'ttalktome, 115, Terry Thompson, 9-2
2. Sweet Relish, 118, M C Berry, 7-2
3. Mein Fraulein, 115, Miguel Mena, 15-1
4. Hooh Why, 121, D L Dupuy, 3-1
5. Peach Brew, 112, Quentin Hamilton, 5-1
6. Sweet and Flawless, 112, G W Corbett,
7. Hightap, 121, Shaun Bridgmoham, 4-1
8. Monterey Street, 115, Israel Ocampo, 8-1
$250,000 Iowa Derby (race 9, June 26, 10:17 p.m.), 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Odds
1. Uno Mas, 113, Israel Ocampo, 4-1
2. Proceed Bee, 122, Terry Thompson, 9-2
3. Soul Warrior, 116, Shaun Bridgmohan, 15-1
4. Terrain, 113, Robby Albarado, 7-2
5. Conchacer, 113, G W Corbett, 8-1
6. Moonport, 116, Julien Leparoux, 6-1
7. Duke of Mischief , 113, Eibar Coa, 10-1
8. Red Lead, 113, M C Berry, 8-1
9. His Greatness, 116, Miguel Mena, 5-1
