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PRAIRIE MEADOWS
GETS APPROVAL TO HOLD CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS Altoona, IA - Jan. 13, 2012 - The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has approved an extended Prairie Meadows quarter horse meet that will be capped by one of the sports biggest events, the Bank of America Challenge Championships on Oct. 27. The commission on Thursday unanimously approved a 27-day quarter horse meet that will run Aug. 18 to Oct. 27. It will be highlighted by a closing weekend that has Iowa Champions Night for Iowa-breds on Friday, Oct. 26, and the Challenge Championships on Saturday, Oct. 27. The Challenge Championships, with six races worth more than $1 million combined, are quarter horse racings version of the Breeders' Cup for thoroughbreds. Horses earn starting berths by winning regional qualifying races across the United States, as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. The headline race is the $350,000 Bank of America Championship Challenge for older horses, which has been won by World Champions Down With Debt, SLM Big Daddy, Tailor Fit, and Streakin Sin Tacha. "It puts us on a big stage, and one where we're ready to show what we do here in central Iowa," said Derron Heldt, Prairie Meadows' director of racing. "There'll be a lot of national and local recognition, and it's something we're excited about." In addition, the American Quarter Horse Association will have its four-day convention at Prairie Meadows during the Challenge week. That means Prairie Meadows will be the site of two national racing conventions in 2012 since the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association for thoroughbreds will hold its conferences at Prairie Meadows from June 28-July 1. Prairie Meadows' 2011 quarter horse meet ran from Aug. 12 to Oct. 1 with racing four days per week. The 2012 meet will offer a three-day race-week Friday through Sunday through Oct. 13. There will be no racing the following week, then racing will resume with the closing weekend of stakes races on Oct. 26-27. Heldt said the Challenge Championships may help Prairie Meadows attract new stables for its entire quarter horse meet. Prairie Meadows is also one of the regional qualifying sites and its Challenge races will be on Sept. 15. "With the Challenge Championship here, it may allow us to attract some new trainers and owners that haven't been here in the past," Heldt said. "They may want to run over the track surface prior to the Championships." The commission had previously approved Prairie Meadows 2012 thoroughbred season, which will take place from April 20 to Aug. 11 with a Thursday to Sunday racing week. | ||
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