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Southard Queen Leads Qualifiers to the Iowa Double Gold Derby
Southard Queen defeated Apollitical J Julia to set the fastest time from two trials Saturday for the 50,000-added Iowa Double Gold Derby at Prairie Meadows.

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Southard Queen Leads Qualifiers to the Iowa Double Gold Derby

ALTOONA, IA—JUNE 27, 2020—Two trials on Saturday evening at Prairie Meadows determined the field for the $50,000-added Iowa Double Gold Derby, led by Southard Queen in 19.720 for the 400-yard trials. The final will be held on July 11.

Southard Queen ($11.30) and Berkley Packer earned a 95 speed index in the gate-to-wire victory of the first trial. The Coronado Cartel filly is owned and bred by Jo Rice in Oklahoma, out of Southard Style Lady, by Strawfly Special.

Last year, she won the Grade 3 Valley Junction Futurity; she finished third in the Iowa Double Gold Futurity and qualified to the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity at Canterbury earlier that summer.

Southard Queen has four wins in 11 lifetime starts with $128,262 in lifetime earnings.

Astranomical ($3.50) won the second trial and posted the second fastest qualifying time of 19.733 and a 95 speed index.

The Dominyun filly was making her first start outside of Remington Park; she was third in the Oklahoma Derby this spring.

Trained by Stacy Charette-Hill, Astranomical was ridden by Jorge Torres and is owned by M. C. Stucks. She was bred in Oklahoma by Bobby Cox, out of Quick Moon Sign, by Royal Quick Dash.

Apollitical J Julia and Jorge Torres finished second in the first trial, a half-length behind Southard Queen, and were the third fastest qualifier with a time of 19.802 and a 93 speed index.

Apollitical J Julia is trained by Stacy Charette-Hill for owner Kent Jackson. She was bred in Oklahoma by Rancho El Cabresto, Inc, by Apollitical Jess and out of the TR Dasher mare Julias Perfection.

Earlier this year, Apollitical J Julia qualified to the Heritage Place Derby (G2) at Remington. As a 2-year-old, she was fourth in the Heritage Place Juvenile Stakes.

For the complete list of Iowa Double Gold Derby qualifiers with their individual times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.