Horse Racing News on June 25, 2011

Headache left favored Awesome Gem behind at the eighth pole and rolled to his first graded stakes win in the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III) at Prairie Meadows, the highlight of the two-day Iowa Festival of Racing on the night of June 25.

Prayer for Relief gave trainer Bob Baffert consecutive wins in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (gr. III) when he registered a mild upset at Prairie Meadows on the night of June 25.

Fast-improving Little Miss Holly swept past Find the Humor in the stretch and held sway for a two-length victory in the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (gr. III) on the night of June 25 at Prairie Meadows.

Zazu was behind pacesetter Wallstreeter and Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty on the final turn of Saturday's $147,000 Hollywood Oaks when jockey Joel Rosario decided he would stay inside in early stretch.

Buster's Ready dominated the Grade 1, $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies, beating Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favorite, by 4 1/4 lengths on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Heading into Saturday's Grade 3, $109,300 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs, favorites Shocktime and Culotte had the highest speed figures and the most eye-catching victories.

Team Valor International and trainer H. Graham Motion employed another surface switch to win a 3-year-old stakes as Summer Soiree dominated the Grade 3, $155,000 Boiling Springs Stakes for fillies on the rain-softened turf at Monmouth Park on Saturday.

Court of the Realm upset a tough field under Eurico Da Silva to notch his stakes debut in the $269,200 King Edward at Woodbine on Saturday.

Jockey Rajiv Maragh masterfully slowed the pace, and Giants Play dug in when called upon to win the Grade 2, $150,000 New York Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf at Belmont Park on Saturday.