Southard Queen, under jockey Berkley Packer, winning the $93,225 Iowa Double Gold Derby Saturday night at Praire Meadows.

© Coady Photography

ALTOONA, IA—JULY 11, 2020—The fastest qualifier from two trials on June 27, Southard Queen ($7.70) returned on Saturday evening to win the featured Quarter Horse event on the card, the $93,225 Iowa Double Gold Derby.

Berkley Packer, also aboard for the filly’s trial win, rode her to a half-length win over Vf Politics N Chicks. Jason Olmstead trained both horses in the exacta.

The final time of 19.816 for 400 yards earned the winning filly a 93 speed index.

Southard Queen has five wins in 12 lifetime starts with $165,552 in lifetime earnings. She won the Grade 3 Valley Junction Futurity last year and finished third in the Iowa Double Gold Futurity; she qualified to the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity at Canterbury earlier that summer.

The Coronado Cartel filly is owned and bred by Jo Rice in Oklahoma, out of Southard Style Lady, by Strawfly Special.

Finishing in second place, Vf Politics N Chicks was the fourth fastest qualifier and was second his trial to Astranomical, the post-time favorite in the final. Brett Birzer had the call for owner Richard Tobin.

Vf Politics N Chicks was bred by Victory Farms, by Apollitical Jess and out of Dashin Chick, by Dashin Bye. The Iowa Double Gold Derby was his first appearance in a stakes race; he has finished in the money in half of his 12 career efforts.

In third place were Apollitical J Julia and Agustin Silva. The Apollitical Jess filly was the third fastest qualifier, finishing second behind Southard Queen in their trial.

Apollitical J Julia is trained by Stacy Charette-Hill for owner Kent Jackson. She was bred in Oklahoma by Rancho El Cabresto, Inc, from the TR Dasher mare Julias Perfection.

Earlier this year, Apollitical J Julia qualified to the Heritage Place Derby (G2) at Remington. As a 2-year-old, she was fourth in the Heritage Place Juvenile Stakes. She has two wins and over $50,000 in career earnings to date.

Completing the field were Political Form, Fly Relentless Fly, Astranomical, Relentless Jess, La Reina Madre, Tootsie Roll On and Wl Shezacrowdpleaser.