Zayata Stables’ Prayer for Relief earned his first win since September 2011
on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows when recording a 1 3/4-length victory in
the Grade 3, $300,000
Cornhusker Handicap under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.
The Steve Asmussen pupil settled near the rear early as Silver Max set the
pace through splits of :23 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 3/5. Prayer for Relief began
making up ground on the far turn, angled out three wide into the stretch and
closed in the lane to take command, finishing 1 1/8 miles on the fast dirt in
1:49 4/5.
Sent off the 4-5 favorite against five rivals, Prayer for Relief paid $3.80,
$2.80 and $2.20. Taptowne briefly held the lead in the lane, but couldn’t
withstand Prayer for Relief’s rally. The gray five-year-old was easily best of
the rest, though, 5 1/4 lengths clear of Silver Max, while Nicklaus Way, Tiz
Ready and Red Lead completed the order of finish.
Prayer for Relief earned all three of his past stakes wins in 2011, taking
the West Virginia Derby, Super Derby and, appropriately enough, Iowa Derby on
that year’s Cornhusker undercard. While he didn’t win any last year, the dark
bay placed in the San Fernando, Strub, Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, Californian and
Governor’s Cup. Thus far this season, he’s run second in the Lone Star Park
Handicap and Texas Mile, and now boasts $1,419,725 to go along with his 21-6-5-4
career mark.
Prayer for Relief was a $39,000 Keeneland November RNA as a weanling, but
sold at Keeneland September as an $80,000 yearling to Zayat. Bred by G. R.
Aschinger in Kentucky, he is out of the duel stakes-winning Mr. Sparkles mare
Sparklin Lil and counts as a half-brother Twin Sparks. His fourth dam, Satin
Dancer, produced Grade 1 winner Another Reef.
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