Iowa Sires Stakes opener

What Cheer, IA — Fifteen fields of Iowa-sired harness racing two-year-olds and three-year-olds competed in the first of two 2020 Iowa Sires Stakes meets.

 

Freshman trotters led the card with Searching For You and driver Chad Svendson capturing the first race in 2:08.4. Owned by Kayveonna Johnson and Rick & CD Huffman, the trotting colt is from the first crop of Stage Muscles, a son of Muscle Hill. Rick Huffman trains. The second division of 2-year-old trotting colts & geldings went to Roll On Whitey in 2:08.2. The Honeydont Hanover gelding is trained and driven by lessee Gary Liles.

 

Only one of the eight competitors in the lone division of two-year-old trotting fillies stayed flat during a chaotic mile. Chad Svendson drove Airman's Kisses to a 2:11 win for owner's Rick & CD Huffman. Trained by Rick Huffman, the filly is by Airman Batten, a son of Swan For All.

 

The two-year-old Iowa Sires Stakes colt and gelding pace went to Duane & Connie Roland's Western Waltz. From the first crop of Western Trademark, driver Cory Larson and Western Waltz found room through a tight pack in the final stretch to steal a win in 2:05.2.

 

17-year-old driver Justin Gould gave a perfect trip to CharChar earning her a win in the first division of 2-year-old filly pacers. Hailing from the Mintun-Gould Stable, CharChar is from the second crop of In Over My Head. Freshman fily pacers picked up the pace in the second division with Curvyhipsandredlips capturing a gate-to-wire win in 2:03.1 with Will Roland in the bike. The daughter of Millionaire Cam is trained by Curtis Carey and owned by Jay Delong, Jeff Carey and Rick & CD Huffman.

 

First Gunner continued his winning streak bringing the tally to four with a 2:03.1 mile in the 3-year-old Trot. The son of Amigo Ranger was a top five pacer as a 2-year-old, only switching to the trot in 2020. First Gunner is owned by Kathy Shipley and trained by Tom Shipley.

 

Driver Chad Svendson paired with the Huffman Stable for another win on the trot. CR Valentine followed Broadway Sweetheart until the three-quarter pole then tipped out to challenge the mile leader. CR Valentine, a daughter of Amigo Ranger, took over in the stretch to win earning a new lifetime mark of 2:05.

 

Ivy B Poison raced a strong mile to take the first division of 3-year-old pacing fillies. Trained and driven by Scott Smith, the Sneaky B Skipalong filly clocked a 2:03.4 mile for owner Chris Philipp. After a 1:58.4 performance at West Liberty last week, Jennie Ann remained in top form besting the competition in the second division of filly pacers in 2:00.2. A daughter of the Rocknroll Hanover stud Lettherockbegin, Jennie Ann is owned, trained and driven by Rob Anderson.

 

In the last feature race of the day, the 2019 pacing colt champion Slippin The Clutch drew post position seven, starting in the second tier. Driver Will Roland navigated around some early traffic and pulled the 3-year-old son of Millionaire Cam at the half. The gelding found another gear breezing up to second where he was hung by Cashncam. The two battled to the finish when a late charge from Legal LIar threatened the pair. Slippin The Clutch won in 1:59.2 for trainer Curtis Carey and owners Jay Delong, Jeff Carey and Rick & CD Huffman.

 

 

Iowa racing action resumes on July 3 (Friday) at the Humboldt COunty Fairgrounds. Post time is 12:30pm.