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From DRF (The Inside Post): Always in a Tiz will run in Belmont Stakes 2013.Posted 1 day ago
Mucho Macho Man breezed 5f in 1:01.40 (4/11) at Fair Hill on 5-24. Posted 1 day ago
Wise Dan targets the G2 Firecracker 'Cap at Churchill on June 29. Posted 2 days ago
Jockey Chantal Sutherland will return to saddle at Del Mar. Posted 2 days ago
Itsmyluckyday to skip Belmont Stakes 2013 in favor of Pegasus Stakes on 6-16. Posted 2 days ago
Rosie Napravnik will ride Code West in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 2 days ago
From DRF (The Inside Post): Mylute will not run in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 3 days ago
Eblouissante breezed 4f :49.17 (18/44) at Belmont (dirt Training) on 5-22. Posted 3 days ago
Giant Finish will make his next start in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 3 days ago
Unlimited Budget is expected to face males in Belmont Stakes 2013. Posted 5 days ago

Iowa Oaks

Prairie Meadows

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What the Nation is saying about the Iowa Oaks...

Prairie Meadows Kicks Off Season Friday Night

Once things have thawed out on the northern plains, horses from Oaklawn, Fair Grounds and Keeneland make the annual trek back to Prairie Meadows.Read More

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BrianZipse · I look forward to being there for the Festival of Racing ... Will I see you there, Jasen? · 37 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Larer fields insure bigger payouts. This Oaklawn, Canterbury, Woodbine, Evangeline and Tampa all have this wonderful thing in common. · 37 days ago ·

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Hansen dominates in the Iowa Derby

Hansen, Fort Larned, and Uptown Bertie are the stars of a big night at Prairie Meadows.Read More

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BrianZipse · The perfect confidence building step to bigger things to come, much as his Turfway Park stakes race was last year. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Confidence again. That is HUMAN trait not an equine one. Horses are simply Pavlovian just like the classic dog salivating when a bell rings. These anmals do not have those complex barin functions and all their running is just a simple case of taking the fight or flight response and conditioning it to running on cue.....KISS Keep IT Simple S......Read anyone of several great books on animal condtioning to find out what is really happening not some antropomorhic fantasy or what is happening. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Konrad Lorenz rote the classic work in this regard · 328 days ago ·

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BrianZipse · Could not disagree more, tv. · 328 days ago ·

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buckpasser · Look Vic I still believe that horses have various traits that we as humans ascribe human responses to in order to properly explain them. I have ridden competitively for years and my horse and I were a team. There were a few courses where he knew what to do better than I did. His responses were not Pavlovian. As to Hansen, the trainer did what every great past trainer did in a similar situation, dropped the horse down to get a win and build confidence. Say what you want, call it what you want, this is what it is · 328 days ago ·

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loran53@hotmail.com · Seabiscuit used to tease his opponents. Zenyatta did a little dance before each race. Is that Pavlonian? · 328 days ago ·

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buckpasser · What you are missing Vic is that there is a synergetic relationship among great horses and their owners and handlers. Seabiscuit was a tough cripple who partnered with Smith, Pollard and Howard who were all crippled in one way or another healed each other. And that bond brought out the greatest in each and in the end they helped heal a nation's psyche that was wounded by the great depression. That in many ways is the underlying point of Hillenbrands book. I doubt Zenyatta would have achieved the greatest she deserved without Sherriffs, Smith, the Mosses and Mario her groom. Same with Secretariat. That is A bond that defies easy and pat scientific explanation or Pavlovian response. · 328 days ago ·

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Armada · So apparently you think horses are all just dumb animals, travel_vic? If you see a dog cowering in a corner, would you not say that dog has no confidence? If you see a dog strut up to you with his tail held high, would you say he does have confidence? Why would it be any different with horses? Just because a horse or a dog or any other animal is not human does not mean he does not have characteristics we describe as human. Just because we describe these emotions as human (which people only do because they are human and as such have no other to compare them to... or are just dumb and feel they are superior) does not mean others in the animal kingdom do not feel what we feel. · 328 days ago ·

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Capper · So T.V. with your extensive knowledge of the history of racing...in all your years you've never seen a horse seem more confident in a change of scenery or even more a change in weather? You can't truly believe that,r · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · tv, I agree that anthropomorphism can be silly fantasy, but isn't it reasonable to use human terms, nouns, adjectives, etc, for persons such as my dog or horse persons such as Royal Delta, people like that? Do you have any horse persons that you will admit? · 328 days ago ·

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buckpasser · Let's put it another way. If dropping a horse into race that is an easy win for him doesn't work, why do it? · 328 days ago ·

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kay.robinett · Travel Vic, if you study mammalian neuroscience and neuroanatomy you will see that different areas of the brain govern emotion and what you would call "higher reasoning". Most mammalian species have brains which fully able to allow them to experience all or most of the emotions which humans feel. Higher reasoning functions are a different story. So while we are usually able to understand our emotions and the reasons why we have them and animals are not, does not mean that animals do not have emotions. Anyone who spends a lot of actual time with dogs, cats, horses, and other higher mammals knows that they do feel emotions and that each has its own distinct personality complete with quirks. An older book which explains this very well to any intelligent layman would be Carl Sagan's Dragons of Eden. · 328 days ago ·

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papillon · horses may not care about winning in the same way or for the same reason that humans do, but they are very sensitive creatures, and they pick up on the emotions of the humans around them, i gaurantee that horses enjoy the good vibes they pick up after a win, and dislike the bad vibes they pick up after a loss--building confidence works for the whole team--dominguez just won by ten in a hand ride--you know he was stoked when he looked back in the stretch, this restores his faith in his mount, maker is stoked and has had his faith in his charge restored, hansen is picking all that good will up, and i guarantee it is good for him · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · I have degrees in Zoology and Biology along with a life time of study. Animals are animals. Higher brai functions require both the anatomical threshold of size and complexity in order to regain higher brain functions. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Greatest epiphany in horse racing: Horses run and that is it, to the extent of their ability and form cycle. The rest is un-necessary complication. · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · That makes you more of a catch, for sure, tv, but you didn't really answer my question, unfortunately. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · It is a human frailty to ascribe "reason" for this or that happening. OFTEN of the time things happen randomly without reason no matter how much reason one re-writes to the event. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · you posed a question? where was it hidden? · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · You almost never answer the question I asked, come to think of it. You can't figue me out. I don't compute in that C3P0lian brain of yours. I will charm you yet, tv. Brace yourself. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · some hwere amidst the guttural trash talk there might be some question, but that horrid English does not allow one to elucidate it...Try again remember subject very\b and object · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · tv, What does "motivate" a horse to win? What natural incentive makes it try to take the lead if it's a closer for instance? Not a front runner trying to escape being eaten or running from fright or other theories you may have offered. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Simple: repittion with reward · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · wgat you regard is some "clsoing" on the pace is merely the OTHER pace horses decelerating: happens each and every day in each track · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · wgat(what) is the reward? · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · This one's next outing should at least have another looking at him for 6 furlongs. That race last night was a joke · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · reward varies by the training method.....Wake up early some moring, go out to the track and find out · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · He just can't handle me, yet. · 328 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · tv, They don't run the horses here in the summer. I'd have to fly up to your area and meet you for breakfast. · 328 days ago ·

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Dressage3295 · The fact that your telling us that animals have no feelings is ridiculous tv. I don't care what form of degrees you hold, I've been around animals my entire life- I don't need a bunch of scientific facts that support what my eyes have seen. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · As stated, it is a human tendency to overwrite meaning upon which there is none. I love animals too, have all my life, but just am a realist as to what they do: they SURVIVE with instincts...HUMANS are the ones to make up interpreations on what they do based upon their experiences, that they THINK, are somehow equivalent to human experiences.. · 328 days ago ·

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travel_vic · look up the narrative fallacy · 328 days ago ·

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Dressage3295 · I know what a narrative fallacy is thank you. Of course animal's survive with instincts- but so do humans. I too am a realist to what animals do, and it seems to me as if humans and animals aren't all that different. · 327 days ago ·

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notobsessed · repetition with reward? they get more attention, more praise, more carrots & peppermints if they win · 327 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Humans are TAUGHT all that they know. Hard wired instinctual behavior is not amongst those lessons. · 327 days ago ·

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cocoa2 · Explain why babies into things into their mouth? It couldn't be instinctive to prevent the baby from starving? · 327 days ago ·

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notobsessed · humans are not taught all that they know, they are taught to overcome inherited instincts · 327 days ago ·

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notobsessed · this is getting silly, if we are going to get into human psychology vs horse psychology, we will need expert testimony from qualified experts in each field of study · 327 days ago ·

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travel_vic · yup they really have a time overcoming tay-sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia and the rest · 327 days ago ·

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travel_vic · Wonder what this colt has on his schedule NOW. Take on a challenge or hide away and steal a purse?? · 327 days ago ·

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loran53@hotmail.com · I had a dog who would wait until we got to the designated area of our apartment complex to relieve himself- when the ground was DRY. If it was raining or snowing or the ground was wet from recent precipitation he would go whereever he wanted. To me that shows the ability to reason. He figured the ground is wet anyway so it doesn't matter. Faulty reasoning but reasoning nonethe less. We could not break him of the habit. He knew we didn't want him to do that but he just figured "they're wrong so I'm gonna do it!" · 327 days ago ·

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travel_vic · conditioning: which goes back to an old Jewish saying "Don't Shit Hwre you Eat." Once the gustatory re-affirmation was established, the area was designated for fecal matter. Dog did the same thing: handy for clean up but cuase and effect is lackig sorely. · 327 days ago ·

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travel_vic · why do you think cats return to the same place everyday to relieve themselves? CONDITIONED reflex · 327 days ago ·

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Mary Z. · cocoa, maybe babies do that because their toys or whatever look like food to them or because that is a way to learn about something and also own it. I'll ask my oldest daughter who remembers everything from her birth(claims pre-) on. · 327 days ago ·

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loran53@hotmail.com · T-vic, I think you missed the whole point of what I said. I wasn't talking about fecal matter, I was talking about urination. It had nothing to do with ease of cleaning up. And yes, his going every day in the designated area WAS conditioned reflex, but going whereever he wanted when the ground was wet WASN'T. That required a very basic form of reasoning. · 327 days ago ·

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travel_vic · waste, whats the difference? · 326 days ago ·

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loran53@hotmail.com · (Sigh) Never mind. · 326 days ago ·

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timgsmith10 · you cant argue with TV he doesnt read your post he just continues to babble away without reading the other side of the argument. · 326 days ago ·

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Mr. Thirsty · Well Paynter is rounding into one of the best of the class. · 326 days ago ·

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timgsmith10 · He is an up and comer but needs to string together some victories.. · 326 days ago ·

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ruffian75 · On one hand, UR is being criticized at running one of the slowest Belmont's, and, THEN, Paynter is being praised, despite NOT winning the slowest Belmont. Think I'll pass. · 326 days ago ·

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timgsmith10 · good point.. · 326 days ago ·

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Stars Come Out Saturday Night at Prairie Meadows

Hansen and Successful Dan highlight the Saturday night stakes action from Prairie Meadows.Read More

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notobsessed · I didn't get one of those cute little horses...I saw a little girl with one and she had a death grip on it... · 327 days ago ·

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buckpasser · Not obsessed. That little horse is cute. You might want to try eBay. Many of those things come up there. Also I hope you enjoyed seeing your favorite horse. Nothing beats going to the track and watching your favorite horse live. · 327 days ago ·

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daniel.c.butrum · you said it buckpasser. i drove 10 total hours to see Hansen run. drove there, watched him and came back home that night. nothing can beat any of those moments for me at a racetrack. · 327 days ago ·

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buckpasser · Daniel how true. Long trip but it is worth it. Hansens owner helped racing out a great deal by gaining new fans by racing his horse in Iowa. · 326 days ago ·

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notobsessed · All of the horses were beautiful, but it is so special to see one of your favorites · 326 days ago ·

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Good Times at Prairie Meadows

A first ever trip to Central Iowa's Prairie Meadows last Saturday night turned out to be a rousing success. The five-hour drive did not seem too long after arriving to a lively atmosphere at the combination racetrack and casino. Trackman, John Hernandez, invited me to be on the in-house television s...Read More

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sjuwill · Brian..sounds like you had a blast at Prairie Meadows and im glad your getting to all these tracks, hope in the future we can get to a new one again..until then wait to you hit close to my home · 697 days ago ·

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zatt · Same here, Bill ... Always a good time to see the races in your company. I will let you know when I am headed East next. Aren't you coming to the Breeders' Cup? · 697 days ago ·

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AndyScoggin · That makes 43 tracks for you now? · 697 days ago ·

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zatt · No, Prairie Meadows was the one that made it 42. · 697 days ago ·

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cpsoren121 · I got to get out there! · 697 days ago ·

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sjuwill · im still hoping too..see your looking at the super derby but flights look tough there..i saw ernie at belmont friday · 696 days ago ·

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joe.nevills · Prairie Meadows is indeed a nice track. Probably my favorite of the three racinos I have visited. · 696 days ago ·

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joe.nevills · Also, next time you're there, be sure to try the pulled BBQ pork on the apron. It's one of my favorite racetrack concession stand meals. · 696 days ago ·

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Is Astrology Beatable in the Iowa Derby?

Beating the favorites in the big races at Prairie Meadows tonight could trigger sizeable payoffs ... Read More

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MichaelPavelick · Since Astrology has already won a grade 3 event, are the connections excited about trying to capture another grade 3? Hard to say, particularly when that grade 3 victory was at mile. Todays distance is mile & 1/16th so it be a nice fit for him. When a young developing horse wins a grade 3, normally the connections want to step it up & win that grade 2 or grade 1 for breeding value. · 700 days ago ·

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MichaelPavelick · So as far as the "class factor" Sherriff Cogburn winning the UNGRADED PM Juvenille, the next step up would be grade 3. So this race makes perfect sense from a class perspective. · 700 days ago ·

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ScottDick · You better bet with Zatt when it comes to PRM. This man cashed thousands last year on like a 20 dollar investment.. i'm in! · 700 days ago ·

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ruffian75 · Michael, after you "schooled" me on Flat Out last week, I'm betting the house on this one!!!! After this race, life will be so much sweeter!!!! Thanks for the inside info. · 700 days ago ·

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MichaelPavelick · Ruffian75, I sure hope you had a place bet, or had him "boxed" in the exacta. Generally 3 year olds are risky vehicles, because of the improvement factor. Bafferts "Prayer' had over a 6 month layoff making a strong move as a 2 year old against "Comma", was given one race tightner, and just improved after his rest & turning 3 years old. He was difficult read.Still trying to figure out what Prayer For Relief's morning line was? Was he bet down? · 698 days ago ·

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ruffian75 · The exacta was "sweet"!!!!!!! They really pounded Astrology. His prep races didn't sell me. Sunland Derby, Jerome Stakes, and, he did finish 3rd in the Preakness. The show payoffs were almost as much as the place payoffs. And, here's a trivia question that I don't have the answer for: When Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes, he went off @ 1-20 odds. When he won, the place payoff was more than the win payoff(2.10 to win; 2.20 to place). Has there ever been another 1-20 horse that actually paid more to place than to win? · 698 days ago ·

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MichaelPavelick · Ruffian75, With super strong favorites, the betting public becomes mesmerized with the win pool. Then you might have a longer odds horse run 2nd. So I'm almost assured that the place wager has paid more then the win pool. Thats what I love about this form of "sport betting". Paying attention to the betting pools can really pay off. · 698 days ago ·

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ruffian75 · Yeah, I understand the betting public being "mesmerized" by the win pool, but, I've also heard of the "bridge jumpers". People who bet a "sure thing" with an astonishing amount of money, usually in the show pool, but, Belmont only accepted place bets that day as the lesser bet. I guess that's where you got to be a tote board student, and watch the fluctuation of the different pools' monies. · 698 days ago ·

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MichaelPavelick · Persoanlly I respect Astrology. Actually to me its a reverse logic scenario. He was actually too good for a grade 3 event. He looked like a "lot of horse" in the Preakness. So the Iowa derby just fills his racing schedule. He raced wide in Saturday's race which makes the effort more difficult, and made a dominant move on the back stretch, although he seems somewhat immature. Hard to say, but the connections might just keep him racing active with "workouts within a race" until Travers day. Since he went a mile & 3/16ths in the Preakness, a mile and 1/4 Travers event makes sense. · 698 days ago ·

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ruffian75 · Michael, Prayer's morning line was 7-2, and he went off at 5.9-1, so, he wasn't bet down. But, his odds didn't go up that much, either. · 698 days ago ·

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MichaelPavelick · Ruffian75, Thanks, I actually uncovered that before your poast. Kind of surprise. Possibly any Baffert horse that comes "rollin into Iowa", gets a lot of respect or Baffert has a steady history of having horses ready for the Iowa derby. One victory in a maiden claimer, and another in an allowance race doesn't deserve those kind of morning line odds. His very respectable move against Comma to the Top, is hard to deny. But that was as a 2 year old & he lost by approx. 9 lengths. · 698 days ago ·

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icyhotboo · That pay off was a gift with Baffert's history in Iowa.Didn't need a PP to handicap that except for the other positions. · 698 days ago ·

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Little Miss Holly takes Iowa Oaks

Conducted over a fast surface, despite earlier rain and unseasonably cool temperatures in the high 60s, the concluding night of the Prairie Meadows Iowa Festival of Racing brought forth competitive renewals of the Grade 3, $200,000 Iowa Oaks and Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Derby.The Iowa Oaks, which feat...Read More

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Seeking the Title Wins Iowa Oaks

Jockey Calvin Borel went against type and swung Seeking the Title to the outside in the stretch run of the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (gr. III), but the move paid off when the daughter of Seeking the Gold went on to a half-length victory at Prairie Meadows June 26. Borel, known as "Bo-Rail" for his tendency...Read More

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Betting Against the Favorites Hawkeye State Style

What a night to be in Iowa, and more specifically at Prairie Meadows. One night after the second biggest card of the year, in which we saw a new sprint star being born in Majesticperfection, (can’t wait to see the Beyer he gets in that one) the Midwestern track takes it up another notch. Their three...Read More

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Winslow Homer Returns in Iowa Derby

Fox Hill Farm’s Winslow Homer was supposed to make his highly-anticipated return in an allowance race next month. But the 3-year-old son of Unbridled's Song is doing so well that trainer Tony Dutrow has decided to bring him back in stakes company, and with that he is an unexpected headliner in a fie...Read More

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Brass Hat Back on Dirt

BRASS HAT (Prized), whose dirt career peaked more than four years ago when he took the 2006 Donn H. (G1), will attempt to rekindle some of that old magic in Saturday night's $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. (G2). The 1 1/8-mile contest for older horses highlights a nine-race card that also inc...Read More

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Hightap Adds Iowa Oaks to Growing Resume

Shipped north to Prairie Meadows for the June 26 Iowa Oaks (gr. III) off a big win in the Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) last month at Churchill Downs, Hightap delivered again, taking the $200,000 race by three-quarters of a length over Sweet Relish.Read More

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Hooh Why to try dirt in Iowa Oaks

At long last, Ashland Stakes (G1) winner Hooh Why will take a dirt test on Friday night against Dogwood Stakes (G3) winner Hightap in the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows Racetrack.Read More