Prairie Meadows Releases Quarter Horse Preview Condition Book
February 17– Altoona, IA. Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel announces the release of a preview condition book for Quarter Horse races offered from June 12 through June 29. The full 2020 Mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing season at Prairie Meadows begins on May 1 when Thoroughbred racing will lead off the 84-day season from May 1 - June 8. Quarter Horse racing will join the daily program starting June 12 through the remainder of the season, which ends September 26.
The Quarter Horse preview condition book, available at prairiemeadows.com or Prairie Meadows’ Racing Office, includes a listing of races offered to Quarter Horse owners and trainers during the first 12-days of Quarter Horse racing in the mixed season. The same listing of races will be shown in Condition Book #2 of the mixed season which is not published until mid to late May but will include Thoroughbred races offered during the period from June 8 through June 29. Condition Book #1 is already available which covers Thoroughbred racing only from May 1 to June 1. Assistant Racing Secretary, Chad Keller explains, “We wanted to make sure Quarter Horse owners and trainers have a good idea of what type of races will be offered here with the new racing format we have so they don’t come in blind or guessing what type of races we plan to offer for them outside of the stakes schedule which was announced initially back in December and made official last month.” Keller adds, “We expect stall space to be at a premium so owners and trainers need as much information now to plan and decide for their summer season of racing and this preview book should help tremendously.”
Overnight purses for Quarter Horses will remain very strong with the bottom level purse at $7,500 for maiden $6,250 to 5,000 claimers and the top-level allowance purse at $14,500. Maiden Special Weight races will be $12,000 for open runners. Iowa-bred overnight purses will continue to be very attractive due to breed supplement funds and will range from $10,410 to $20,126 this season.
A total of 24 stakes races are scheduled for Quarter Horses this year with an estimated total of $1.75 million in stakes purses offered. There are several new stakes races this year which will help enhance the program overall. “With the new racing format and the season for Quarter Horse racing running from June 12 through September 26, it was imperative that we offer a stakes program for two- and three-year-olds that have opportunities from start to finish for both open and Iowa-bred runners,” said Keller. “In addition, the older horses have a good variety of races to look at, with 110 to 250-yard dashes as well as 350 to 440-yard classic distances and around the hook at 870-yards.”
An important reminder to owners and trainers that nomination payments will begin on March 1st for our early season Futurity and Derby races on the schedule such as: The Hawkeye Futurity (2-year-old Iowa-bred Est. $100,000 purse), The Cyclone Derby (3-year-old Iowa-bred Est. $70,000 purse), The Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity (open 2-year-olds Est. $175,000 purse), The Iowa Double Gold Derby (3-year-old Restricted Stallion Progeny Est. $100,000 purse), The Iowa Stallion QH Futurity (2-year-old Iowa-bred Est. $75,000 purse), and The Iowa Stallion Derby (3-year-old Iowa-bred Est. $60,000 purse). Also, there is an April 1st deadline for initial payments on the late season Futurity and Derby races such as: The Valley Junction Futurity (open 2-year-olds Est. $250,000 purse), The Altoona Derby (open 3-year-olds Est. $125,000 purse), The Jim Bader Futurity (2-year-old Iowa-bred Est. $175,000 purse), and The Polk County Derby (3-year-old Iowa-bred Est. $125,000 purse). Please make sure you review each Futurity and Derby nomination form for payment schedule deadlines and note that several races do not have a grace period for mail due to the timing of payments received and scheduled trial dates.
The Iowa Quarter Horse Hair Testing Protocol for 2020 will be in effect and expanded to include all stakes races with variable degree of testing performed. For more details on the 2020 Iowa Quarter Horse Hair Testing Protocol, please visit our website using the links shown below and reviewing the 2020 Iowa Quarter Horse Hair Testing Protocol or by going to page 19 in the preview condition book itself.
Stall applications for the 2020 live racing season are due back to the Racing Office by Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Application forms are 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.
Condition Books, Stall Application, 2020 Live Racing Calendar, 2020 Stakes Schedules and other racing-related documents can be found at https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info
Breed specific information for Quarter Horses (click link below) https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info/quarter-horse-racing
Breed specific information for Thoroughbreds (click link below) https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info/thoroughbred-racing
To continue receiving information about our 2020 live racing season, please visit https://www.prairiemeadows.com/signmeup
About Prairie Meadows
Prairie Meadows began operations as a nonprofit organization in 1989 with the goal of promoting economic development, jobs, agriculture, and tourism in the state of Iowa. Through taxes, grants, and charitable donations, Prairie Meadows has given $1.9 billion to the state of Iowa. Prairie Meadows offers nearly 1,700 slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, sports wagering, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.
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