by Mary Lou Lawless

Independence, IA — Iowa’s Standardbred race horse population had reached an all time high this spring, when the Iowa Harness Horsemen’s Association encountered new obstacles to receiving the expected revenues from Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Where there is a will, there is a way, however, and the association’s negotiating team has tenaciously approached additional fairs and other exempt entities around the state in efforts to obtain the funds.

On Saturday (June 30), President Royal Roland issued a statement explaining that approximately 85-90 percent of the 2007 budgeted purse dollars will be available in a timely manner, and while the proposals and transactions are ongoing, the $372,000 July schedule will not be hindered.

Closing out the month of June in high gear, more than 100 freshman athletes started on the Humboldt County Fair Track at Humboldt on Saturday, and earned $43,000 in purses.

Mary Lou Lawless photo

Aaron Mitchell and Blues Hot Clues captured the Larry Frakes Memorial Pace.

Four divisions of eight pacers each contended for $4,000 prizes and for the Larry Frakes Memorial Blanket, handmade by Heddy Nelson and presented by Dixie Long in memory of the much loved Humboldt County horseman who passed away early in 2006.

Aaron Mitchell’s swift juvenile Blues Hot Clues swept the series, with fractions of :29.1, :58.2, 1:29.1 and 2:01.2 in the fifth race. Other winners included Mattoutflying, trained and driven by Adam Hauser for Morris and Jacqueline Brown in 2:02.1, Mywaymack and Nolan Van Otterloo (2:06.1) and Summer Splash and Alan Sandbulte (2:06.2).

Five fields of trotters competed for $3,600 purses and Sigourney’s Rick Huffman garnered the winner’s share of three of these with Iowa sired youngsters Kix N Giggles, f, Branded, 2:11.3, KB Spider, g, Kickin B, 2:13 and Bo Brandy, g, Branded, 2:08 flat.

With the Kickin B gelding Westgrove King, Huffman won second place money in the ninth behind Dan and Jeri Roland’s Weight Lifter gelding Jeri’s Kid, who was challenged by Westgrove King, but never headed in the 2:13.2 mile.

Trainer and driver Aaron Mitchell brought the Armbro Marcus filly See Logo to the winner’s circle after her fourth win in as many starts for owner Lorenza Gooch after a lifetime best performance in 2:09.4.

Rick Huffman wrapped up a great day at the races with scores in four of six $1,000 conditioned races, beginning with a win on Twisty Twizzler, a Raycer Thad filly out of the Laag mare Grand Celebrity. Out quick and on her way, the pacer made a break in heading up the backstretch for the first time, but settled to the pace and then dug in at the top of the stretch to pull it out in 2:08.

Commenting on the break as he headed to victory lane for Rick’s co-owner, Martha Walker, CD Huffman said, “Well, I guess they named her about right, didn’t they?”

Madges Jackpot (by Cole Muffler) won Saturday with trainer and driver Rick Huffman for owner Martha Walker, and Huffman added more dollars to the stable’s till with the trotter Mr Song in a third place finish, and picked up a fifth place check for the Hot Pans filly Sweet N Hot.

Hot Pans fillies AW Shoot (Royal Roland) and Kiss Me Tonite (Brandon Jenson) were first and second in their first lifetime starts, and Earnest Whitemon piloted his own Hot Pans gelding, Hot Soup, to a mark of 2:05.4.

Mr Hallview was reined by Mark Mintun in 2:14.1 for owner Bill Mintun, who stables and trains at Humboldt.

Weight Builder was driven to a 2:15.4 victory by Joel McDanel for owner Roger Sturtz and trainer Larry Coleman. Sidelined since a dramatic spill at Sioux Center two weeks ago that left him with a punctured lung, three broken ribs and a fractured collarbone, Coleman made it out for the win photo and appears to be on the mend.

Iowa racing will return to Humboldt for a $40,000, star spangled, 3-year-old program on Wednesday, July 4, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Catch Iowa racing re-caps, courtesy of announcer Richard Kranzel, Jr. at www.iowaharnessracing.com