A potential star in the sprint division rose at Prairie Meadows Friday night
as Padua Stables’ MAJESTICPERFECTION (Harlan’s Holiday) turned back an early
threat from Cash Refund (Petionville) and waltzed home a 4 3/4-length winner of
the $125,000
Iowa
Sprint H. in a track-record time of 1:07.24 for six furlongs over the fast
track. That was nearly three-fifths of a second faster than the previous mark of
1:07.85, set by Coach Jimi Lee (Roar) when winning the first of three
consecutive Iowa Sprints in 2004.
The 3-1 third choice in a field of seven, Majesticperfection broke fastest of
all and dueled with Cash Refund through splits of :21 2/5 and :43 2/5. After
dispensing with that rival at the top of the stretch, there was no looking back
as he and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan won as they pleased. The win payoff was $8.20.
Atta Boy Roy (Tribunal), the Churchill Downs S. (G2) winner favored at even
money, rallied to be second by 6 1/2 lengths over 2-1 second choice Cash Refund.
The Iowa Sprint was only the fifth lifetime start for the four-year-old
Majesticperfection, who was bred in Kentucky by Ron McPeek and Shane Floyd. The
$370,000 OBS two-year-old in training buy did not debut until this season,
finishing third in a January 24 maiden at Fair Grounds. He has not tasted defeat
since, winning over the same course next out, then passing his first two
allowance conditions at Oaklawn and Churchill by margins of 10 3/4 and four
lengths, respectively.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Majestic Perfection has garnered BRIS Speed
ratings of 112, 105 and 107 for his last three wins. His record now stands at
5-4-0-1, $160,430.
A similar margin of victory was achieved earlier in the card by Richland
Hills Stable and John Kuehl’s SECRET GYPSY (Sea of Secrets) in the $100,000
Saylorville S. for fillies and mares. Rallying from an early stalking trip
in third, the Ronny Werner-trained mare coasted home as the 2-1 second choice
and paid $6.20. Jamie Theriot was aboard the winner in a time of 1:08 1/5 for
six furlongs.
Finishing second in the Saylorville was 4-1 third choice Mindy Queen (Indy
King), with 7-5 favorite Palanka City (Carson City) a non-threatening third a
length farther back.
A $10,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic two-year-old in training purchase bred in Kentucky by Norman Cheng,
Secret Gypsy was winning for the first time since taking the Distaff H. (G2) at
Aqueduct in March 2009. She’s also scored in the Esplanade S. at Fair Grounds
and has placed in editions of the Raven Run S. (G2), Winning Colors S. (G3),
Dogwood S. (G3) and Queen S. Her record improved to 15-6-2-2, $416,926.
The $95,000
Iowa
Distaff was reduced to a field of four after a couple scratches, and when
the dust settled it was Arnold Zetcher’s Ontario-bred WYNNING RIDE (Candy Ride
[Arg]) who was on top by a length in a time of 1:42 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles. The
slight 6-5 favorite left defending champion and 6-5 chance Euphony (Forest
Wildcat) back in second with Hightap (Tapit) nearly five lengths back in third.
Bred by Winsong Farms, the Bob Baffert-trained Wynning Ride was winning her
first added-money event in the Iowa Distaff, though she had come close to
earning that distinction on several different occasions against better company.
Among her narrow defeats were a one-length miss in the 2008 Hollywood Starlet S.
(G1), a three-quarters of a length third in the 2009 Coaching Club American Oaks
(G1), and a half-length second in the Milady H. (G2) in her race immediately
prior to the Iowa Distaff.
A $120,000 Keeneland September yearling, Wynning Ride now boasts a bankroll
of $308,108 from a line of 10-3-3-1.