First Of 15, under jockey Brett Birzer, drives to victory in the $13,500 Gridiron Special, a 110-yard allowance at Prairie Meadows on Sunday afternoon.

© Coady Photography

ALTOONA, IA—SEPTEMBER 6, 2020—First Of 15 sprinted away from the gate to win the $13,500 Gridiron Special, a 110-yard allowance at Prairie Meadows on Sunday afternoon.

First Of 15 ($8.20) and Brett Birzer cleared the field by a half-length in the dash for trainer Jason Olmstead and owner Richard Tobin.

First of 15 was bred in Oklahoma by James and Marilyn Helzer. The 5-year-old mare is by Apollitical Jess and is out of Tinys Corona Queen, by Corona Cartel, making her a full sister to multiple stakes winner Lynnder 16, who most recently won the ARC Ruidoso Downs Distaff Challenge.

First Of 15 was the winner of the 2018 Gopher State Derby and qualified to the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, NCQHRA Futurity and Canterbury Derby at Canterbury Park. She was second in the Decketta (G3) at Remington and was third in the Altoona Derby at Prairie Meadows in 2019.

Her win on Sunday pushed her career earnings to $203,483 and she is now 10 for 39 lifetime.

Jess Un Sies Mas led the field for second with Agustin Silva aboard. The 4-year-old gelding is a Colorado homebred for Hugo Barron-Sierra and is trained by Manny Campos.

Sunday’s race was his second start of the year; in his previous 2020 start, he won the Dolls Prodigy Stakes at Arapahoe in June. The multiple stakes winner won the Rocky Mountain Derby and Lucille Rowe Derby and qualified for the Mile High Derby, all at Arapahoe last summer. He has seven wins in 14 career starts and has $81,640 in earnings to date.

Jess Un Sies Mas is by Apollitical Jess and is out of the Tres Seis mare Seis Star Glitter. Seis Star Glitter was multiple stakes placed, including the runner-up in the 2010 Mile High Derby at Arapahoe.

Third place finisher Kooler Wagon was ridden by Ramiro Garcia for trainer Uriel Delgado and owner Alma Olivas. The 3-year-old filly was bred in Colorado by Thomas Bradbury and Vaughn Cook, by Desirio and out of Beaus Wagon, by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

Kooler Wagon was second in the Dolls Prodigy Stakes earlier this summer at Arapahoe and qualified to the Lucille Rowe Derby in August.

Completing the field were Dickey Bob, Double Eagle, The Serge Protector, All Aboard, Papa Vaquero, Steeler D and Park Avenue Air.