Prayer for Relief scores in Cornhusker

Zayata Stables' Prayer for Relief earned his first win since September 2011

on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows when recording a 1 3/4-length victory in

the Grade 3, $300,000

Cornhusker Handicap under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

The Steve Asmussen pupil settled near the rear early as Silver Max set the

pace through splits of :23 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 3/5. Prayer for Relief began

making up ground on the far turn, angled out three wide into the stretch and

closed in the lane to take command, finishing 1 1/8 miles on the fast dirt in

1:49 4/5.

Sent off the 4-5 favorite against five rivals, Prayer for Relief paid $3.80,

$2.80 and $2.20. Taptowne briefly held the lead in the lane, but couldn't

withstand Prayer for Relief's rally. The gray five-year-old was easily best of

the rest, though, 5 1/4 lengths clear of Silver Max, while Nicklaus Way, Tiz

Ready and Red Lead completed the order of finish.

Prayer for Relief earned all three of his past stakes wins in 2011, taking

the West Virginia Derby, Super Derby and, appropriately enough, Iowa Derby on

that year's Cornhusker undercard. While he didn't win any last year, the dark

bay placed in the San Fernando, Strub, Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, Californian and

Governor's Cup. Thus far this season, he's run second in the Lone Star Park

Handicap and Texas Mile, and now boasts $1,419,725 to go along with his 21-6-5-4

career mark.

Prayer for Relief was a $39,000 Keeneland November RNA as a weanling, but

sold at Keeneland September as an $80,000 yearling to Zayat. Bred by G. R.

Aschinger in Kentucky, he is out of the duel stakes-winning Mr. Sparkles mare

Sparklin Lil and counts as a half-brother Twin Sparks. His fourth dam, Satin

Dancer, produced Grade 1 winner Another Reef.

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