Racing


Defending Champion Nothin Like You Pulls Off The Keokuk Stakes Win For Second Year In A Photo Finish
Nothin Like You, piloted by Stormy Smith, gets the $40,000 Keokuk Stakes win second year running in a photo finish at the wire at Sunday at Prairie Meadows.

© Jack Coady / Coady Photography
Defending Champion Nothin Like You Pulls Off The Keokuk Stakes Win For Second Year In A Photo Finish

ALTOONA, IA–JULY 7, 2024–The $40,000 Keokuk Stakes at Prairie Meadows came down to a four-way photo finish at the wire on Sunday afternoon between Nothin Like You, Miss Kt Perry, Relentless Legacy and A Legacy Of Tales. Nothin Like You got the nod by a nose to defend last year's title, clocking a 94 speed index.

Jockey Stormy Smith piloted Nothin Like You to his first victory this season in :17.576 seconds. He busted from the gates in second place, where he stayed until his jump to victory at the wire. The five-year-old gelding's win paid $8.60 on 3/1 odds, and the $20,000 winner's share boosted his lifetime earnings to $446,762.

Nothin Like You has lit the board 20 times from 23 starts with 11 wins, including last year's Keokuk Stakes [G3]. The son of leading sire Favorite Cartel has won seven stakes races in his career, including the Two Rivers Stakes [G3] AQHA Derby Challenge Championship [G3], Valley Junction Futurity [G3], Prairie Meadows Derby Challenge and Prairie Meadows Gold Derby.

The winning connections of Nothin Like You accept the $40,000 Keokuk Stakes trophy at Prairie Meadows on Sunday. © Jack Coady / Coady Photography

Owner Tom Bradbury of Bradbury Racing bred Nothin Like You in partnership with Lisa Beauprez in Colorado. The John Hammes trained gelding is out of Whos Kissin Carter by Carters Cartel.

Ridden by Angel Ramirez, Miss Kt Perry fought gamely to get into the lead by just missed at the wire. The multiple winner has earned $82,653 for owner Leann Burns. She placed third in the Remington Park Oaks and fifth in the Valley Junction Futurity [G3] earlier in her career.

Randy and Stacy Hill bred Miss Kt Perry in Oklahoma out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Kt Perry. She is sired by leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

Stacy Charette-Hill also trains Miss Kt Perry and fourth-place finisher A Legacy Of Tales, who was right there at the wire for the photo finish. A Legacy of Tales has earned $279,056 for owner/breeder Donald Friesen and was bred in Oklahoma out of Legacys A Streakin by Streakin La Jolla.

Don Friesen also bred third-place finisher Relentless Legacy, who was ridden by Armando Alvidrez. The Minnesota-bred gelding sired by Hes Relentless is a half-brother to A Legacy Of Tales.

Relentless Legacy has six career wins with $92,695 in the bank. Trainer Jason Olmstead saddled the five-year-old son of Hes Relentless for owner Tom Maher.

Apollitical Payoff placed fifth, Deutsch placed sixth and Two Four Going Hot was seventh.