Prairie Meadows Releases Quarter Horse Preview Edition Condition Book

February 11, 2021 – Altoona, IA. The 2021 Quarter Horse season at Prairie Meadows starts on Friday, June 18 and the racing office has released the Preview Edition Condition Book covering the first eight days of the meet through June 28.

“We want our Quarter Horse owners and trainers to know we’ve worked hard with the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association during the off-season to navigate through the disruptions caused by the pandemic in 2020,” explained Quarter Horse Racing Secretary Chad Keller.

“We believe we’ve crafted a balanced, sensible, and lucrative program for Quarter Horse breeders, owners, and trainers for the 2021 season,” added Keller. “Prairie Meadows will offer four days of Quarter Horse racing every week on a Friday – Monday schedule when the season opens and that will make this track perfect for horsemen looking for the best location to stable and race this summer.”

The Quarter Horse Preview Edition Condition Book is available online at Equibase (www.equibase.com) and on Prairie Meadows website www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info.

Prairie Meadows will offer 23 stakes races worth an estimated $1.6 million in 2021. The stakes schedule is highlighted by the $75,000-added ($225,000-est.) Grade III Valley Junction Futurity at 350 yards on Friday, September 24 and the $80,000-added ($150,000-est.) Jim Bader Futurity (IA) at 350 yards on Saturday, September 25. Three stakes races will have their inaugural running this year:

  • The $45,000-added ($165,000-est.) Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity for open two-year-olds at 330 yards.
  • The $35,000-added ($100,000-est.) Prairie Meadows Gold Derby for open three-year-olds at 350 yards.
  •  The $20,000-guaranteed Prairie Sprint for three-year-olds and up at 330 yards.

“I am excited that we can offer two open futurity and derby races with the Prairie Meadows Gold races early in the season and our traditional Quarter Horse championship races, the Valley Junction Futurity and Altoona Derby, in September,” added Keller. “The Iowa-bred program features the Hawkeye Futurity and Cyclone Derby in July and Jim Bader Futurity and Polk County Derby in September. Additionally, we will host four AQHA/Bank of America regional challenge finals, including the $45,000-added Grade II Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge at 440 yards, on Saturday August 14.”

Horsemen are reminded that futurity and derby payment schedules begin on March 1 for Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity/Derby, Hawkeye Futurity, Cyclone Derby, and Iowa Stallion Futurity/Derby and on April 1 for the Valley Junction Futurity, Altoona Derby, Jim Bader Futurity, and Polk County Derby.

Nomination forms, which include payment schedules and general conditions for each race, can be downloaded and printed from Prairie Meadows website www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info at Quarter Horse Futurity/Derby Nomination Forms & Lists by clicking the Horseman’s Information menu under the RACE & SPORTS BETTING tab.

Keller noted that top-level Quarter Horse purses in 2021 will remain at $13,500 for open allowance condition runners. Bottom-level purses for two-year-olds will be $7,000 for Maiden Claiming $6,250 conditions. Bottom-level purses for three-year-olds and older will be $7,500 for Maiden Claiming $7,500-5,000 conditions.

The 2021 live racing season at Prairie Meadows begins with 26 days of Thoroughbred-only racing from April 30 – June 14 and continues with a mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse schedule for the next 58 racing days from June 18 – September 25.

Live racing will be offered on a Friday – Monday schedule, with post times set for 6 p.m. CDT on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 p.m. CDT on Sundays and Mondays, with exceptions for special race days, events, or holidays.

When Prairie Meadows transitions from Thoroughbreds-only to a mixed meet format starting Friday, June 18, Quarter Horses will run three races per day, with exceptions on trials or stakes days, and they will run their races first on the card. 

Horsemen are also advised that Stall Applications for both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses are now available online in the Horseman’s Information area of Prairie Meadows website at www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info or in the racing office. Stall applications are due to the racing office by Wednesday, March 24.

Contact the racing office with any questions or requests for information by phone at 515-967-1205 or by email at martha.harsch@prairiemeadows.com or chad.keller@prairiemeadows.com.

To continue receiving information about our 2021 live horse 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 slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, sports wagering, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.

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