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Flat Out Speed Takes Iowa Oaks; Acre Wins Iowa Derby

Author: Clint Goodman
Published: Monday July 06, 2020
Poindexter Thoroughbreds' Flat Out Speed scored Sunday's $122,200 Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows after holding the lead for almost the entire race. The daughter of Flat Out is now 5-for-5. 

The Running

Flat Out Speed was joined by jockey Alex Canchari, and she broke sharply in the 1 1/16-mile dirt event. After the break, she had a bit of trouble and fell to second behind Lagoon Falls.

As the first quarter-mile was marked at :23.43, she was a half-length behind Lagoon Falls. Flat Out Speed kept pressing the pace until she finally moved ahead at the five-eighths marker.

The rest of the race saw Flat Out Speed and Canchari basically unchallenged. Coming off the turn, the pair held control of the field and moved ahead three lengths going into the stretch.

Aurelia Garland did make a move three-wide as they neared the wire, and while she did manage to cut Flat Out Speed's lead by a decent margin, she could not push anymore to catch the leader.

Flat Out Speed crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead in 1:42.79. The rest of the field followed with Aurelia Garland in second, followed by Ocean Breeze, Strong Flag, Dynasty of Her Own, and Lagoon Falls.

Flat Out Speed

Flat Out Speed is trained by Lynn Chleborad and was coming into the Iowa Oaks off a June 27 victory in the Bob Bryant Stakes at Prairie Meadows. At the age of 2, she earned black-type honors with wins in the Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes and Iowa Sorority Stakes, which came in her second and third starts.

The filly was bred in Iowa by H. Allen Poindexter and Wynnstay, and she is out of the Street Sense mare Blue Gallina. The mare's only other registered foal is a 2-year-old Dominus colt named Shotgun Shy.

Flat Out Speed has a career record of five wins from six starts and earnings of $250,232. Her one loss was at Oaklawn Park. 

Iowa Derby

The Iowa Derby also took place on the same card as the Iowa Oaks. 

Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Acre was awarded first-place honors in the $100,000 event. The result followed an inquiry from stewards into the stretch run, which resulted in the disqualification of the first-place finisher to second, giving Acre the victory. 

The 1 1/16-mile Iowa Derby saw Letmeno cross the wire a neck over Acre to win. Letmeno was joined by rider Alex Canchari, who was Flat Out Speed's jockey in the Iowa Oaks.

Letmeno set fast fractions of :23.36, :46,93; and 1:10.83 through the first six furlongs.

He was pressed by Prodigious Bay along the backside but was able to keep holding on. However, Acre and jockey Martin Garcia made a late drive and challenged the leader. Letmeno drifted out and slightly brushed Acre, but the contact was enough. 

Acre steadied and was not able to catch Letmeno at the wire.

The final time for the race was 1:42,74, and the review of the incident concluded that Letmeno had interfered in the stretch. He was disqualified to second.

Acre, who is trained by Bill Mott, was bred in Kentucky by his owners and is out of the Galileo mare Greenery, who is the dam of grade 1 winner and sire Lea. The sire stands at Claiborne Farm.

Acre is a son of Blame, and his record includes two wins from six starts with earnings of $117,445.