Five trials were contested June 21 at Prairie Meadows to determine the qualifiers for the $163,690 Prairie Meadows Gold Derby, a 350-yard race for 3-year-olds.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

ALTOONA, IA–JUNE 21, 2026–Five trials were contested June 21 at Prairie Meadows to determine the qualifiers for the $163,690 Prairie Meadows Gold Derby, a 350-yard race for 3-year-olds.

Racing over a sloppy, sealed track, Jess Want To Know posted the fastest qualifying time of 17.468 seconds in the fourth trial.

A homebred filly racing for Tom Bradbury and John Hammes, who also trains, Jess Want To Know was ridden by Miguel Josue Ramirez. Breaking from the inside of the leading trio, she was third early before forging clear late to win by three-quarters of a length.

The daughter of champion and champion sire Jess Good Candy is out of the One Famous Eagle mare Who You Know. She now owns a record of 11 starts with three wins, one second, one third, and earnings of $38,564.

Jess Want To Know entered the trials off a finalist effort in the Heritage Place Oaks (G2) and won last year's Valley Junction Juvenile Stakes.

Atsi Monday secured the second-fastest qualifying time after winning the third trial in 17.526 seconds. Ridden by Ramiro Haro Garcia, the filly settled just off the early pace before taking command and edging away to score by a half-length.

The homebred Brenda Reiswig trainee is conditioned by Jason Olmstead. Sired by Cyber Monday and out of the Valiant Hero mare Atsi Hero, Atsi Monday improved her record to 11-4-1-3 with earnings of $99,946. She was runner-up in last year's Valley Junction Futurity (G3).

WF Tuff As Diamonds earned the third-fastest qualifying mark after finishing second to Jess Want To Know in the fourth trial. Under Fernando Fonseca-Soto, the gelding was up close throughout before finishing a head behind the winner.

Owned and trained by Haley Hobbs, WF Tuff As Diamonds was bred by Don and Shari Burger and sold for $7,000 at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale. The gelding is sired by champion Uncle D and out of a full sister to stakes winner Heza Fast Invictus ($169,099). He is also a half-brother to APHA champion Im A Cuda Too ($26,758).

The 10 fastest qualifiers advance to the Prairie Meadows Gold Derby final on July 6.

VIEW FULL LIST OF QUALIFIERS HERE.

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