Unbridled Elaine Takes Iowa Oaks

Unbridled Elaine showed she still belongs among the best 3-year-old fillies in the country on Thursday when she easily won the $150,000 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows by nearly nine lengths.

The daughter of Unbridled's Song and Carols Folly was the heavy favorite at odds of 30 cents on the dollar. She was ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day and made her first start for trainer David Vance, who assumed the training duties from Dallas Stewart.

Unbridled Elaine broke well and settled into third place behind the leader, Dancin Emi, who led the field to the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile race. At the final turn, Day maneuvered Unbridled Elaine four-wide and swiftly picked off the rivals in a flowing fashion. She crossed the wire in 1:43 4/5 and was eight and three-quarter lengths ahead of longshot Supreme Song.

Unbridled Elaine paid $2.60, $2.40, and $2.20. Supreme Song paid $13 and $2.20, and third place finisher Sharky's Review paid $2.20.

"I picked this filly up a week ago today," said Vance. "Dallas (Stewart) had her pretty ready. My job was easy. I worked her Sunday morning (July 1). She worked good and galloped out strong. We put her on the airplane Monday morning and brought her up here. She did her job."

Unbridled Elaine is owned by Roger Devenport.

Vance said he has not decided where the filly will start next.
"I don't know enough about her to really tell you where I'm going with her," said Vance. "She was a very handy winner tonight. She was fourth in the Acorn (gr. I), and that's a pretty good bunch of fillies. This is the first time she's been around two turns. There was some speed, so she relaxed well early, which I liked. Those kinds of horses win big races, because they don't have to be pressed out there on the front end. If we can keep from it, I don't like any of my distance horses being on the lead."

Vance also trains 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Caressing, who he is said is being pointed toward the Delaware Oaks on June 21.

Day said Unbridled Elaine did everything right.

"She was climbing a little bit, I thought, because of the dirt in her face up the backside, so I eased her out just past the half-mile pole and got her in the clear," he said. "When I did, she picked her horses up nicely around the turn and kind of galloped on to the lead. I kept 'smooching' at her in the stretch to keep her attention. If there had been a need for it, I think there was more there. She certainly was moving nicely at the finish."

In other Prairie Meadow news, 13-1 longshot Elodare found his niche in the fourth running of the state-bred $75,000 Cyclones Stakes. Trained by Don Von Hemel, the horse and jockey Glenn Corbett won the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:45. The six-year-old gelded son of Elocutionist-Dare a Loon (by Quack) is owned by Holm Thoroughbred Co.

"I've ridden him quite a few times and he seems to run good for me," said Corbett. "He's a different kind of horse; you've just got to keep him happy and let him do his own thing. He lay a lot closer than I thought he would. Then he kicked in and made a real strong late run for me."

Elodare returned $28.60, 10.40, and $4.40. Second place finisher Elvis Rocks paid $5.20 and $3.80, and My Baby who finished third paid $3.