Hansen connections send out intriguing firster as Prairie Meadows meet concludes

Prairie Meadows concludes its 2016 Thoroughbred meet Saturday afternoon with an 11-race card dedicated exclusively to Iowa-breds, seven of which are stakes.

It's not the richest of the stakes on Iowa Classic Day, but the $90,000 Iowa Cradle (race 6) for two-year-old colts and geldings may be the most interesting as it marks the debut of Han Sense, a son of the charismatic gray Hansen, who was voted champion juvenile male of 2011 and captured following year's Iowa Derby (G3) at Prairie.

Based at the Churchill Trackside training facility in Louisville, Han Sense races for his sire's connections, owner Kendall Hansen and trainer Mike Maker, and brought $125,000 as a yearling at last year's Fasig-Tipton July Sale in Lexington. Although he faces a handful of others that have already broken their maiden, Han Sense has been working well and is a half-brother to Iowa Oaks (G3) runner-up Humble Janet.

Net Gain, who has won twice and narrowly missed in two other starts since joining the Clinton Stuart barn, figures to get ample pace from Excessive and Matchlock in the day's opener, the $100,000 Governor Terry E. Branstad. The corresponding race for older fillies and mares, the $100,000 Donna Reed (race 8), appears more wide open. Rallydownthealley, Foxy Fleda, and Ella's Glory, separated by only a head when finishing one-two-three in last year's race, are all back in.

The $90.000 Iowa Sorority (race 7) for juvenile fillies looks like a showdown between Bossy Em and Theperfectvow, though first-time starter Chanel's Legacy has shown some zip in her morning trials. She is bred and owned by Allen Poindexter, who also bred Han Sense.

The Iowa Breeders' Derby (race 10) and Iowa Breeders' Oaks (race 9), both worth $103,000, appear to solid favorites in One Fine Dream and Mywomanfromtokyo, respectively.

The meet ends with the $85,000 Dan Johnson Sprint over six furlongs. Shock Hazard is surely the horse to catch, while Ooey Gooey has experience doing just that when taking the $60,000 John Wayne back in May.

First post is 1 p.m. (CDT).