Cool Bobby trying new things in Iowa Derby

California-based trainer Peter Eurton ventured to the Midwest two weekends ago with the 3-yearold Core Beliefs and won the Ohio Derby, and this week he is on another heartland mission with the 3-year-old Cool Bobby.

Cool Bobby is among eight entrants Friday night at Prairie Meadows in the 1 1/16-mile Iowa Derby. He’s never raced around two turns, never run against other winners, and hasn’t started at all since November, but sometimes talent trumps all, and Cool Bobby looks adequately talented.

Cool Bobby narrowly missed winning his career debut in October at Santa Anita, then won a Del Mar maiden race by 1 1/4 lengths, beating good horses like Kanthaka and All Out Blitz. He got an 88 Beyer first time out, an 89 the second time. By comparison, High North, the likely Iowa Derby favorite, was running figures in the high 60s or low 70s at that time last year. Under the Iowa Derby’s allowance conditions, Cool Bobby is weighted at 113, a meaningful nine pounds fewer than High North. Mario Gutierrez is named to ride.

Cool Bobby is by Shanghai Bobby and out of Coolawin, who in 2007 produced a colt who’d be named Looking Cool and win the 2010 Iowa Derby.

Eurton said comeback race choices for Cool Bobby included a first-level allowance against older horses or a road trip. The latter held more appeal than the former, and Eurton is eager to stretch his charge to two turns.

“He’s 16-3 [hands] with a big, long gait to him,” Eurton said. “If you look at his sprints, he should be prominent early, but he’s a kind horse. He’s been willing to wait and pass horses.”

High North, who breaks from post 1 under Florent Geroux in the $250,000 Iowa Derby, nibbled at the edges of Triple Crown viability earlier this year. His only 2018 win came in the Northern Spur on the Arkansas Derby undercard. He dueled and faded to fourth May 12 in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont and had to miss the Easy Goer Stakes on June 9 there because of a minor foot injury. That problem has since been resolved, trainer Brad Cox said, but Cox is not entirely sure what to expect after the Peter Pan performance.

“He didn’t really finish like I was expecting,” he said.

Lionite won the local prep, the Prairie Mile, by more than five lengths for three-time Iowa Derbywinning trainer Steve Asmussen. Asmussen described that performance as “visually impressive,” but Lionite will need to come forward to win again.

The Tabulator was cooked racing close to a hot pace last out in the Woody Stephens at Belmont. Based in Chicago, The Tabulator twice has shipped to Prairie Meadows to win sprint stakes.

Mr Freeze, in from Kentucky for trainer Dale Romans, has started his career with two wins, but though he got a 91 Beyer for his first-level allowance victory, Mr Freeze beat somewhat questionable opposition.

Apprehender seeks Sprint breakthrough

Apprehender isn’t just the best story in the $100,000 Iowa Sprint – at worst, he’s the secondmost likely winner.

Apprehender was a budding sprint star in 2012 and 2013 before his ceiling was lowered by injury, and a suspensory ligament problem eventually led to a 14-month layoff. But Apprehender still is going very strong at age 9. Seventh in the 2016 Iowa Sprint, he improved to finish second in last year’s edition of the race and comes into this Iowa Sprint following back-to-back Prairie Meadows wins.

“It’s pretty incredible he’s still running at the level he is,” trainer Gene Jacquot said a couple days after Apprehender won the May 26 Ed Skinner Memorial.

Apprehender had plenty of speed when he was young, but no longer can make his own race and is pace-dependent. There are, however, four frontrunning types in the six-furlong Iowa Sprint and Apprehender could get the setup he needs.

Wilbo, the likely favorite, figures to get the jump on Apprehender. Wilbo capped a strong Oaklawn meeting this year by finishing second, beaten less than a length by Whitmore, in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint. He ran below that form when a distant third last out in the Aristides Stakes at Churchill but still rates a serious chance Friday.

Done Deal is the unknown quantity. He returned from a layoff of more than a year to dead heat for win a turf-sprint allowance May 18 at Churchill, and flashed high-level dirt ability before his long break.

“He just had one hiccup after another that kept him from racing,” said trainer Ian Wilkes. “I took my time with him after his last race. The timing and spacing was good here. He just needs to get back in a rhythm.”

◗ There are at least a couple of useful-looking 2-year-olds in the $70,000 Iowa Stallion Futurity and both reside in the barn of trainer Kelly Von Hemel. Bye Love Gotta Go and Substitution both won a Prairie Meadows maiden race in encouraging style, and they appear to be the principals in this 5 1/2-furlong race for 2-yearolds, which starts the stakes action on the Friday night card.