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Prairie Meadows Quarter Horse Condition Books
Available, Daily Purses Average $120,000 PRAIRIE MEADOWS, Altoona, IA—The first condition book for the 2011 American Quarter Horse meet at Prairie Meadows is now available for the season that starts Friday, August 19, and runs through Saturday, October 1. Stall applications are due on July 1, reports Prairie Meadows Racing Secretary Chad Keller. The condition book and stall application are available online at www.prairiemeadows.com . The American Quarter Horses will race on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 6:30pm (CST). Post time on Labor Day Monday (September 5) will be 4:00 p.m. to coincide with the simulcast of the All American Futurity. The 26-day format will be exclusive with eight or more American Quarter Horse races each race day and an average of $120,000 per day in purses. The 2011 stakes schedule, worth an estimated $1.2 million, will feature nine graded races among 21 stakes overall. The Grade II Bank of America Prairie Meadows Challenge Championship spotlights the weekend of September 2-3, accompanied by an impressive Racing Challenge stakes lineup featuring five additional AQHA Regional Championships. Prairie Meadows Quarter Horse Champions Night on Friday, September 30, sets the tone for nine impressive stakes on closing weekend highlighted by a trio of Grade III races – the Valley Junction Futurity ($80,000 added-$200,000 estimated), Altoona Derby ($50,000 added-$100,000 estimated), and Two Rivers Stakes ($45,000 added-3 yr old & up 440yds). Iowa Quarter Horse Champions Night on closing night, Saturday, October 1, features an all-Iowa-bred race card highlighted by the Jim Bader Futurity ($100,000 added-$130,000 estimated), Polk County Derby ($80,000 added-$100,000 estimated), and Terrace Hill Stakes (RGIII-$50,000 added-3 yr old & up 400yds). “Our program achieved numerous milestones,” remarked Keller on April 26. “For example, the Iowa-owned Spit Curl Diva won our Grade III Keokuk Stakes in track record time and later became the AQHA Racing Champion Aged Mare & Horse of 2010. Last year, five of six Racing Challenge Divisional Championship winners raced here. In addition, the Quarter Horses set six Prairie Meadows track records in 2010, proving that top-notch, quality horses and horsemen have chosen to participate in our program.” “This year,” Keller adds, “we’ve increased some stakes purses for both Iowa-breds and open contenders, along with adding a Bonus Challenge race to our schedule. Response has been brisk. If horsemen continue to support our program as they did in 2010, we believe the Prairie Meadows meet will be well on its way in becoming one of the premiere American Quarter Horse meets in the nation. It takes all of us working together to make it happen and, so far, it’s working out great.” Horsemen are encouraged to visit www.prairiemeadows.com “Racing” for more information on the racing calendar, stall application, condition book, stakes schedule, and nomination forms. They can also contact American Quarter Horse Racing Secretary Chad Keller at 515-957-3027 or Chad.Keller@prairiemeadows.com . Prairie Meadows has given more than $1 billion through taxes, grants and charitable donations to the State of Iowa. More than $500 million of that figure has remained in our community to promote education, economic development, agriculture, jobs and tourism. |
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