Awesome Gem tops Cornhusker; Astrology heads Iowa Derby

Awesome Gem (yellow silks) has won or placed in 18 stakes since launching his racing career in 2006 (Benoit Photos) The two-day Iowa Festival of Racing at Prairie Meadows concludes Saturday with a trio of graded events, led by the $300,000 Cornhusker H. (G3), and Grade 1 hero AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again) tops a field of 11 older horses in the 1 1/8-mile centerpiece event. Winner of the 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), Awesome Gem endured a six-race losing skid following his signature victory, but the eight-year-old gelding has turned things around in his last two outings, missing by only a half-length when fourth in the Alysheba S. (G3) before breaking through with a one-length score in the May 30 Lone Star Park H. (G3). He was expected to defend his title in the July 9 Gold Cup on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track, but the Cornhusker will allow him to remain on dirt against a less-deep group of rivals.

The Craig Dollase trainee received a manageable 120-pound impost in the
Cornhusker and will spot at least four pounds to each of his opponents as the
highweight. An earner of more than $2.5 million, Awesome Gem registered a strong 107
BRIS Speed rating last time and will retain the services of Robby Albarado.

Four-time stakes winner STACHYS (Candy Ride [Arg]) exits a convincing 1
3/4-length win in the May 28 Jim Rasmussen Memorial S., the local prep for the
Cornhusker, and the hard-trying gelding will look to carry that momentum forward
on Saturday. Trained by Michael Bieher, the four-year-old opened 2011 with three
straight stakes placings, including seconds in the Maxxam Gold Cup and Fifth
Season S., before recording a fourth in the Oaklawn H. (G2) two starts back.
Stachys will keep Derek Bell in the saddle.

SHADOWBDANCING (Montbrook) is the defending champion, winning last year’s
Cornhusker by a length at 10-1 odds, and figures to show speed from the start
under new jockey Jesus Castanon. The Terrell Gore-trained six-year-old weakened
to third after setting the pace in the Jim Rasmussen last time. BLACK HILLS
(Judge T C) will attempt to rebound from a disappointing sixth as the favorite
in the 1 1/16-mile Jim Rasmussen and the added ground should help his chances.
The seven-year-old gelding is four-for-six at nine furlongs, winning the April
17 Sunland Park H. by a five-length margin most recently, and Jake Barton will
keep the mount for conditioner Bart Hone.

Other runners include HEADACHE (Tapit), a 7 1/2-length allowance/optional
claiming winner at Churchill Downs last out for Mike Maker; IT HAPPENED AGAIN
(Proud Citizen), winner of the Razorback H. (G3) earlier this season and fourth
in the Jim Rasmussen most recently for Steve Asmussen; SCHRAMSBERG (Storm Cat),
an easy winner of this year’s John B. Connally Turf Cup (G3); and FAST ALEX
(Afleet Alex), who has been freshened off a fourth in the March 26 New Orleans
H. (G2).

Astrology exits a good third in the Preakness (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos) ASTROLOGY (A.P. Indy) will be the one to beat in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (G3) following his good third in the Preakness (G1). Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) in his juvenile finale, the Asmussen charge entered 2011 as a top prospect for the Kentucky Derby (G1), but his sophomore campaign got off to a belated start with a third in the March 27 Sunland Derby (G3). His connections made a wise decision to bypass the Kentucky Derby and point toward the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, using a runner-up in the April 23 Jerome S. (G2) as a prep, and Astrology rallied up the rail to be a huge threat turning for home at Pimlico. The bay colt weakened only slightly in the final furlongs, finishing only 1 3/4 lengths back of the winning Shackleford (Forestry). Astrology is a candidate for further improvement and Mike Smith will be in to ride the likely heavy favorite in the 1 1/16-mile tilt. CALEB’S POSSE (Posse) is his main rival in the eight-horse field. Winner of the Smarty Jones S. earlier this year, the Donnie Von Hemel pupil recorded a second in the Rebel S. (G3) before a disappointing 12th in the Arkansas Derby (G1), but he bounced back nicely in the Ohio Derby (G3) last time, recording a stylish 1 3/4-length victory at Thistledown. Regular rider Eusebio Razo Jr. has the mount.

MARCO’S FLING (Marco Bay) and IRISH LION (Lion Hearted), the respective
second- and third-place finishers in the Ohio Derby, are also entered, and
trainer Bob Baffert will send out PRAYER TO RELIEF (Jump Start). Runner-up in
the Real Quiet S. last November, the dark bay colt will make his second start of
the year following a good-looking allowance victory at Hollywood Park on May 29.
Unbeaten CHOSEN MIRACLE (Ghostzapper) will make his stakes debut off a pair of
convincing wins at Arlington Park and Hawthorne, and SHERIFF COGBURN
(Vindication), a 9 1/4-length romper in last year’s Prairie Meadows Juvenile
Mile, will make his third appearance of the season following a pair of local
stakes-placings in the Prairie Mile and Golden Circle.

The $200,000
Iowa
Oaks (G3) kicks off the stakes action with a group of six three-year-olds fillies
at 1 1/16 miles, and DAISY DEVINE (Kafwain) will take some beating. Winner of
the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) two back, the Andrew McKeever runner will receive
significant class relief off a seventh in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). James Graham
will guide the classy filly.

HEARTS ON FIRE (Lion Heart), who exits a pair of runner-up efforts in the
Panthers S. and Instant Racing S., and recent Churchill allowance winner LITTLE
MISS HOLLY (Maria’s Mon) are also entered.