Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap

Horse race

The Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap is an American Grade III thoroughbred horse race held annually at the end of June at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. The race is open to horses age three years and older and currently offers a purse of $300,000. Raced at a distance of 11⁄8 miles on dirt, from 1966 through 1973 it was run at 11⁄16 miles.^[1]

Inaugurated in 1966, the Cornhusker Handicap was originally run at the Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska which closed in 1995. The first edition was won by Royal Gunner who was ridden by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Bill Hartack.

Julie Krone was the first female jockey to compete in the Cornhusker Handicap and the first female jockey to win it when she captured the 1988 edition aboard Palace March.

The Cornhusker Handicap purse was reduced to $100,00 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with the Iowa Derby and Iowa Oaks purses.^[2]

Records

Time record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles)

• 1:46.62 – Beboppin Baby (1998)

Most wins:

• 2 – Vale of Tears (1968, 1969) and Joey Bob (1972, 1973)

Most wins by a Jockey:

• 4 – Larry J. Durousseau (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970)

Most wins by a Trainer:

• 3 – Brad H. Cox (2014, 2020, 2021)
• 3 – Albert Vizcaya (1968, 1969, 1970)
• 3 – Jack Van Berg (1972, 1973, 1985)

Most wins by an Owner:

• 3 – Mrs. Raymond Bauer (1968, 1969, 1970)

Winners

References

1. "Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap". Equibase. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
2. "Purse Cuts for Festival of Racing at Prairie Meadows". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2020-07-06.