ALTOONA, IA—OCTOBER 12, 2019—Only a nose separated a pair of longshots— Southard Queen and A Tres Of Sign—from the barn of trainer Jason Olmstead in the Grade 3 $219,894 Valley Junction Futurity Saturday night at Prairie Meadows.

Under jockey Ramiro Garcia Southard Queen got to the wire first at odds of 32-1 to take home the winners' purse valued at $87,958. The daughter of leading second-crop sire Coronado Cartel completed the 350 yards in :17,654 seconds, equaling a 95 speed index with a 10 mph tailwind.

The brown filly reward backers with a $67.60 to win, $33.40 to place and $18.20. A $2 2-4 exacta returned $844.60.

Olmstead saddled the filly to her third career win in seven starts for owner-breeder Jo Rice. Rice bred the filly in Oklahoma from the Strawfly Special mare Southard Style Lady. Also third in the Iowa Double Gold Futurity and a finalist in the Mystic Lake Northland Futurity this year she has earned $122,372.

Olmstead conditions runner-up, the royally bred A Tres Of Sign, for owner Thomas Scheckel. The Mixer Ranch bred the daughter of champion sire Tres Seis in Oklahoma from the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare First Painted Sign.

Justin Shepherd had the riding call aboard the sister to Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby(RG3) winner A Tres Of Paint.

At 23-1 she paid $28.60 to place and $14.20 to show.

Fourth in this year's Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity(RG1) and a finalist in the Gopher State Futurity, A Tres Of Sign used the $37,381 runner-up payday to bring her earnings mark to $131,157.

Stacy Charette-Hill saddled third-place finisher Southern Sunshine for owner Leann Burns. The super consistent Pyc Paint Your Wagon filly has compiled a (6) 2-1-3 record this year and banked $43,111. Michael Pohl bred the bay filly in Oklahoma form the Shazoom mare Marys Southernpolicy. Jorge Torres was riding.

Im Perry Perry Quick, Striking Perfection, Special Candy Kisses, Undrafted, A Valiant Diamond and Five Bar Bodie completed the field. Vf Politics N Chicks was scratched.

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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 more than $1.8 billion to the state of Iowa. Prairie Meadows offers more than 1,700 slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.