Racing


Wessels, Smith Team For Stakes Hattrick With Polk County Derby Win at Prairie Meadows Saturday
Appollitical Hawkeye (#2), under jockey Stormy Smith, holds off a fast closing Cr Apollitical Joe (#3) in the $99,260 Polk County Derby Saturday night at Prairie Meadows.

© Coady Photography
Wessels, Smith Team For Stakes Hattrick With Polk County Derby Win at Prairie Meadows Saturday

ALTOONA, IA—SEPTEMBER 25, 2021—Trainer Alex Wessels and jockey Stormy Smith scored their third straight stakes win on Saturday's card at Prairie Meadows when Appollitical Hawkeye raced to a neck win over Cr Apollitical Joe in the $99,260 Polk County Derby.

The trainer-jockey comination won Race 1, the $50,000 Terrance Hill Stakes with Irish Royal Jess, and Race 2, the $50,000 Future Of Iowa Stakes with Streakin Jesszee (see related stories).

Apollitical Hawkeye completed the 400 yards in :20.320 seconds, into a 10 mph crosswind, to pick up his fourth win in eight career starts for owner Kay Sage. Bred in Iowa by Craig Kirby, the son of leading sire Apollitical Jess earned $45,652 to double his earnings mark to $98,127.

Out of the Southern Cartel mare Cartels Belle, Appollitical Hawkeye was second in Cyclone Derby on July 10th and third in the Jim Bader Futurity at Prairie Meadows last year.

Runner-up Cr Appollitical Joe hopped at the start under jockey Edwin Escobedo but rallied to earn $17,655 for second. Trainer Jason Olmstead conditions the Apollitical Jess gelding for owner-breeders Dick and Curt Tobin. Cr Apollitical Joe is out of the Streakin La Jolla mare Lw Evening Lajolla. A multiple stakes winner, Cr Appollitical Joe has earned $160,094.

Be The Change, also trained by Olmstead, finished two-lengths back to earn $10,422 for third, after Pl Pearl Harbor was disqualified and placed eighth for interference. The son of multiple stakes sire Dominyun is an Iowa homebred racing for owner-breeder Brenda Onstot. David Pinon has the riding call on the sorrel gelding out of A Lil Diva by Talkalota Bull. He has earned $31,808 in nine starts.

Completing the official order of finish was Paint Me Tres, Elbullseye, Ts Wave As I Fly Bye, Df Fabulous Flare and Pl Pearl Harbor. Iris Cowboy Casanova, Lil Kool Flash and Lil Romance Wagon were scratched.

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 1,100 slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, sports wagering, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.