Showing posts with label Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap. Show all posts

Sunday, July 01, 2012

FORT LARNED WINS THE PRAIRIE MEADOWS CORNHUSKER HANDICAP!

Fort Larned pulled off a mild upset last night in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III), turning away a bid from 1-2 favorite Successful Dan to win the nine-furlong race in decisive fashion.

Under a perfect ride from Brian Hernandez Jr., Fort Larned got off to an alert start and went straight to the lead, setting a very slow pace of :24.57 and :48.43 while leading by about 2 1/2 lengths. Shadowbdancing was racing in second, followed Awesome Gem and Successful Dan. Taptowne and Headache were the early trailers.

Following three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.22, Successful Dan made a bid for the lead, but soon found that Fort Larned had way too much left in the tank. The front-runner ran his fourth quarter in a blazing :23.32 and opened up a clear advantage. Successful Dan continued on strongly to the wire, but Fort Larned's final eighth in :11.88 sealed the deal. Fort Larned proved much the best in the end, drawing off at the finish to win by three lengths in 1:47.42.

Successful Dan finished much the best of the rest, 2 3/4 lengths clear of Awesome Gem. Shadowbdancing, Taptowne, and Headache completed the order of finish.

The winner is trained by Ian Wilkes and owned by Janis R. Whitham.

-Keelerman