Humboldt, IA — The top 2- and 3-year-olds in the Hawkeye State took to the track at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds for the Iowa-Registered Championship races on Sunday (Sept. 27).

The Cliff and Henrietta Card Memorial featured the top five rookie trotting colts in Iowa — all of whom were by Iowa sires.

The race started poorly for Searching For You — the top money earner and fastest colt of the group — who made a break on the gate. Officerincommand took the front with I’m Another WIlson settling in second followed by DP Super Special. Before the quarter pole, driver Adam Hauser pulled I’m Another Wilson to challenge Gary Liles and Officerincommand. The pair passed the quarter in :32.

I’m Another Wilson took control around the turn when Officerincommand broke stride. Leading to the half in 1:02.1 and the three-quarters in 1:33, I’m Another Wilson crept away from Officerincommand followed by DP Super Special. I’m Another Wilson cruised home in an uncontested victory in 2:05.3, a new lifetime mark. DP Super Special got up for second and Officerincommand was third.

I’m Another Wilson is owned by Carol and Tyson Paris of Ottumwa, Iowa, and trained by Adam Hauser. This was the fifth win of his freshman season. I’m Another Wilson is a son of Wilson Wyoming out of the Tom Ridge mare Norma Jean Hall. Wilson Wyoming, a 25-year-old son of Balanced Image, has sired 149 starters in Illinois, Delaware and Iowa with total earnings of $2.6 million. The winning colt was bred by Henry Byler of Seymour, Iowa.

The Dick and Charlyn McDanel Memorial featured the top 2-year-old Iowa-registered trotting fillies of 2020.

Trainer-driver Mark Mintun took advantage of the inside post position, capturing the front with Nutter Butter followed by Mnemonic. Early breaks from Final Quote and Airman’s Kisses allowed Operation Shipley to take third. Nutter Butter hit the quarter at :32, the half in 1:04, and the three-quarters in 1:35.4 followed closely by Mike Morales driving Mnemonic. Tipping out the head of the stretch, Morales positioned Mnemonic to challenge but Nutter Butter held her own crossing the wire in 2:06.4.

Nutter Butter is owned by Jason Telfer of Selma, Iowa. This was the fifth win of her freshman season. Out of the Donerail mare Cherrio, Nutter Butter is the only foal by Neely Dunn in 2017, the lone year he stood in Indiana. In prior years, Neely Dunn stood in Ohio, siring Ohio Horse of the Year Neely’s Messenger, and currently stands in Pennsylvania. He has sired 117 starters with earnings over $4.1 million.

Trainer Duane Roland had three of the five 2-year-old pacing colts in the Kalona Sale Barn Katherine Carey Memorial, all drawing the inside: Rock N Louie, Western Waltz and Freddie Faves.

With the fastest fair track mile (2:00.4), the highest earnings ($26,345) and the most wins (eight, with five coming in his last five starts) Freddie Faves, the gelding from the first crop of Western Trademark, was the clear favorite.

Driven by Roland, Freddie Faves shot off the gate to take the early lead, followed closely by trotting-bred pacer Maximum Force. Freddie Faves’ stablemates, Western Waltz and Rock N Louie, settled in third and fourth with Imoutthedoor recovering from an early break in fifth. The field passed the quarter in 29.2. Corey Larson tipped Western Waltz and was followed by Rock N Louie. The three stablemates had locked in Maximum Force as they passed the half in 1:02. Western Waltz and Freddie Faves held the front in tandem with Freddie Faves easing ahead at the three-quarter pole in 1:32.3 then took command cruising home to win in 2:03.4. Western Waltz was second and Rock N Louie was third.

Freddie Faves was born at Duane and Connie Roland’s stable in Grinnell, Iowa. Out of the Cole Muffler mare Miss Swift, Freddie Faves is one of seven foals from the first crop of Western Trademark, a 1:49.1 pacer by Western Hanover. Western Trademark stood his first season in Iowa and has spent the past two years standing in Minnesota.

The Glen Mino Memorial for featured the top freshman pacing fillies.

Welltheraceison and Marced Debutante both sprinted off the gate to battle for the lead, with driver Cory Larson dropping Marced Debutante into second in the first turn. Welltheraceison led to the quarter in 29.2 and was still in control at the half in 1:01.1. Charchar had made a move and was advancing first-over, but Welltheraceison followed closely by Marced Debutante continued to lead the field passing the three-quarters in 1:30. At the head of the stretch, Larson tipped Marced Debutante and charged to the wire catching Welltheraceison in a photo finish win in 2:02.4. Portray An Image was third.

Marced Debutante is leased by Cory and Katelyn Larson of Marshalltown, Iowa. Bred and raised by Duane and Connie Roland of Grinnell, Marced Debutante is a Minnesota-bred filly out of the Dragon Again mare Adept Yankee and is sired by Marced Card, a son of Cam’s Card Shark. Marced Card has sired top 2- and 3-year-olds in both Iowa and Minnesota.

Three-year-old championship races began with the John Nessa Memorial for pacing colts. Pairing with leading driver Will Roland, Slippin The Clutch was the favorite leading the season in wins (12 in 14 starts) and earnings ($32,821). He also had the fastest fair mile in 1:57.2 at What Cheer at the end of August.

As he has throughout the season, Slippin the Clutch used his gate speed to capture the lead into turn one. The rest of the field quickly settled with Legal Liar dropping in second followed by Cashncam, Always Hotspeed and Yankee On The Move. The colts held their positions passing the quarter pole in :30.4 and parading by the grandstand the first time in 1:02.3 with just five lengths covering the field. Driver Adam Hauser tipped out Yankee On The Move at the half and gradually picked off contenders. Slippin The Clutch made it to three-quarters in 1:32.4 with Yankee On The Move having taken over second. As they rounded the final turn, Slippin The Clutch switched gears and accelerated home, taking the race in 2:01. Yankee On The Move was second and Legal Liar was third.

Slippin The Clutch is trained by Curtis Carey and owned by Jay DeLong of Clinton, Wisc., Rick and CD Huffman of Sigourney, Iowa, and Jeff Carey of Columbus Junction, Iowa. He was raised by Alan and Randall Eden of Lone Tree, Iowa, out of their Artsplace mare Sweet Otra. Slippin The Clutch is by Iowa’s Miilionaire Cam, sire of multiple Iowa 2- and 3-year-old champions.

The Terwilliger Family Memorial Pace featured the top 3-year-old Iowa-registered fillies.

Driver Chad Svendsen and It’s Pacific Time surged from the center of the field to take the early lead. Ivy B Poison filed in second with Jennie Ann charging on the outside to challenge It’s Pacific Time up the backside. Jennie Ann captured the lead passing the quarter in :29.4 and the half in 1:00. With It’s Pacific Time sitting in the pocket, Ivy B Poison made her move sweeping up to second when Jennie Ann hit the three-quarter pole at 1:29.1. At the top of the stretch, Jennie Ann pulled ahead just enough for Svendsen to find racing room, sneaking It’s Pacific Time out in front of Ivy B Poison. With nothing but an open stretch between them and the finish line, Jennie Ann and It’s Pacific Time ground to the wire with It’s Pacific Time taking the win in 1:59.4, the fastest pace of the Iowa Championships. Ivy B Poison held on for third.

It’s Pacific Time won on her home track for owner John Hendricks and trainer Joel McDanel, both of Humboldt, Iowa. Raised by Hendricks out of the Cam’s Card Shark mare Pacific Fling and from the first crop of the Minnesota sire It’s That Ttme, It’s Pacific Time is dual eligible to Iowa and Mtnnesota.

The HAY’s Standardbred Dr. Ken Harris Memorial Trot included the top 3-year-old colts of the Iowa fair circuit. Poker Play drew post position one, followed by First Gunner, Exhibition Day, SV Tymal’s Image and Itsonlymoneyhoney in post position five. Iowa limits it’s finals’ fields to five so no horse starts from the second tier. Crowd favorite First Gunner, who raced on the pace as a 2-year-old, led the season with 14 wins in 18 starts and 2020 earnings of $36,096. He was the only competitor coming off a win.

First Gunner shot off the gate followed by Exhibition Day and Poker Play. In the point of the first turn, First Gunner made an uncharacteristic break followed by a break by Poker Play. Exhibition Day took the lead and led stablemate Itsonlymoneyhoney and SV Tymals Image to the quarter in :31.4. Driver Dan Roland and Itsonlymoneyhoney moved to the front and led at the half in 1:03.1 with SV Tymals Image moving up to second challenging on the outside. Itsonlymoneyhoney held strong passing the three-quarter pole in 1:33.3 with SV Tymals Image still parked for second. As they turned into the home stretch, only four lengths covered the field with Itsonlymoneyhoney having the slight advantage. The trotters powered home with Itsonlymoneyhoney holding off SV Tylmals Image in a 2:05 mile. First Gunner finished third, but was placed fifth due to the earlier break. Exhibition Day was fourth, placed third.

Itsonlymoneyhoney is trained by Dan Roland and owned by Its Only Money Stable. The 3-year-old gelding was bred by Willis Borntrager. Itsonlymoneyhoney is by Banker Volo out of the Cash Hall mare Steuben Hey Jude.

The Pete and Freda Mouw Memorial Trot was Battle Queen’s to lose. Gary Liles’ 3-year-old filly dominated the 2020 Iowa fair circuit with the fastest mark (2:01), the highest earnings ($25,800) and the most wins (nine in 10 starts). Battle Queen also had the rail advantage. CR Valentine drew the two, followed by stablemate Lucky Playmate, Sometimes You Dont, and Passion In Paris.

Battle Queen powered off the gate, with CR Valentine contesting until settling in the pocket as they passed the quarter in :31. Lucky Playmate and Passion In Paris followed in third and fourth with Sometimes You Dont trailing the field. Battle Queen passed the half in 1:03 with the field single file in pursuit. As they turned into the backstretch CR Valentine tipped out from second and Passion In Paris from fourth. The field passed the three-quarter pole two-by-two in 1:33.1. At the head of the stretch Passion In Paris fanned to the outside and Lucky Playmate moved to the passing lane. With Battle Queen and CR Valentine in the center, the four fillies battled head-to-head charging to the wire. Driver Chad Svendsen and Lucky Playmate had never left the rail, and his patience paid off when Lucky Playmate made a last second surge to take the race in 2:03.4.

Lucky Playmate is trained by Rick Huffman and owned by Rick and CD Huffman and Larry Mather. The 3-year-old champion was bred by Winbak Farm out of the Pine Chip mare Almond Chip. Lucky Playmate is by Lucky Chucky, who stood in New York the year she was conceived.

Sunday’s card concluded the 2020 Iowa racing season. Iowa racing will resume in May 2021.