Altoona, IA – The Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association has named its champion horses for the 2019 season at Prairie Meadows last weekend.
The Allen Poindexter owned-and-bred Kauai was a double winner in 2019, earning recognition as the ITBOA champion three-year-old colt/gelding of the season and ITBOA Horse of the Year.
The gelded son of Girolamo – Gizzy (Malabar Gold) competed six times at Prairie Meadows in 2019, winning three races, finishing second twice, and third once.
Kauai capped his season for Poindexter Thoroughbreds LLC and trainer Lynn Chleborad with a victory in the $102,500 Iowa Breeders’ Derby on Iowa Classic Day September 2.
The gelding earned $167,530 from his half dozen outings over the Altoona oval, running his Iowa earnings to $201,064 and his lifetime earnings to $202,073.
“I was thrilled with his efforts in 2019,” said Allen Poindexter. “I expected that he would run better as the distances increased, and that’s exactly what happened last season.”
Poindexter noted that he turned out all of his Iowa-breds when the 2019 meet ended at Prairie Meadows, with plans to bring them back for the 2020 season in the Hawkeye state.
“Kauai is stabled at Oaklawn Park right now,” explained Poindexter. “He’s had three easy workouts in Hot Springs and our plans are to have a solid foundation of works and/or races under him when the new season starts at Prairie Meadows.”
The other divisional winners are:
Two-year-old filly: Flat Out Speed (Poindexter Thoroughbreds)
Two-year-old male: Chacha Real Smooth (River Ridge LLC)
Three-year-old filly: Snapy Gal (Travis Murphy)
Older Male: Minecraft Maniac (Warren Bush)
Older Mare: Hello Darling (Kelly’s Racing Stable LLC)
Allen Poindexter also earned individual honors as the leading ITBOA owner and breeder for 2019, totaling $583,652 in earnings as an owner and $663,361 in earnings as a breeder.
Native Ruler (Maggie Moss – Owner), who was pensioned from stud duty last fall to the Unbridled Spirits Thoroughbred Retirement Ranch in Lisbon, IA, was honored as the ITBOA’s leading stallion of 2019. His top progeny accounted for $581,429 in total earnings last year, led by Zella Rose ($135,361) and Scrutinizer ($94,129).
CONDITION BOOK 1 RELEASED; STALL APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED
The racing office at Prairie Meadows released the first condition book of 2020 this week. Condition Book 1includes two Iowa-bred stakes races for three-year-olds and five open overnight stakes to kick off the 84-day racing season for Thoroughbreds. The first day of entries will be on Sunday, April 26 for opening night Friday, May 1. Entries for Saturday, May 2 (Kentucky Derby Day) will be on Monday, April 27. The normal entry schedule will then begin with entries being taken a full week out from race day starting on Friday, May 1 for the races on Friday, May 8.
The bottom level purse will be $10,000 for maiden $5,000 claimers or beaten $3,500 claimers and the top-level allowance purse at $36,000. Maiden Special Weight races will be $32,000 for open runners. Iowa-bred overnight purses will range from $13,104 to $47,174 this season.
Stall applications for the 2020 live racing season are due back to the Racing Office by Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Application forms and the condition book are both available at prairiemeadows.com as well as Prairie Meadows’ Racing Office.
Prairie Meadows’ backside stable area will open to horses on Friday, April 3. Training is scheduled to begin Sunday, April 5, weather permitting.
