Curls Magic Wagon and jockey Alfredo Triana, Jr. lead throughout to win the Grade 3 $50,000 Keokuk Stakes on July 3 at Prairie Meadows.

© Jack Coady Photography

By Emily Paulk, StallioneSearch

ALTOONA, IA–JULY 3, 2026–Curls Magic Wagon earned the first stakes victory of his career on Friday afternoon, defeating a solid field of older runners in the Grade 3 $50,000 Keokuk Stakes at Prairie Meadows. The 350-yard event was held over a fast track under cloudy skies.

Ridden by Alfredo Triana, Jr., Curls Magic Wagon broke on top from the rail and was never seriously challenged, leading throughout to score by three-quarters of a length. The brown 4-year-old stopped the timer in :17.579 while earning a 93 speed index.

A homebred owned and bred by Martin Stacy and trained by John Stinebaugh, Curls Magic Wagon improved his record to 19 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds. The $25,000 winner's share of the purse increased his career earnings to $424,368.

The winning connections of Curls Magic Wagon accept the Keokuk Stakes trophy at Prairie Meadows Friday evening. © Jack Coady Photography

The son of PYC Paint Your Wagon is out of the stakes-winning Spit Curl Jess mare Eye A Spit Curl Girl and is a full brother to AQHA Champion Curls Happy Wagon, winner of $360,674.

Entering the race, he had finished third in the Boyd Morris Memorial Stakes (G2), second in the Bob Moore Memorial Stakes (G2), and was a finalist in both the Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G2) and Texas Classic Derby (G1).

Heavy favorite Hooked N Gone rallied from off the pace to finish second under Jesus Ayala, earning a 89 speed index after covering the distance in :17.706. The 6-year-old gelding races for owner/breeder Regina Laymon and trainer John Hammes.

The son of PYC Paint Your Wagon out of the stakes-winning Pretty Boy Perry mare Pretty Girl Kate now holds a record of 35-8-11-5 with earnings of $865,171.

A multiple graded stakes winner, Hooked N Gone's record includes victories in the Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge Stakes (G2), Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship Stakes (G1), Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby (G1), and Remington Park Juvenile Stakes.

Edberg Verde finished another half-length back in third for owner-breeder Mauro Eli Zaborowsky and trainer Jason Olmstead. Gonzalo Valles Jr. guided the 6-year-old stallion to a show finish in :17.769, good for an 88 speed index.

Sired by No Secrets Here and out of the Fishers Dash mare Roxy Vista BR, Edberg Verde now owns a record of 21-2-3-4 with earnings of $96,453.

The stallion remains in search of his first stakes victory but has been stakes placed in the First Down Dash Handicap (G3), Go Man Go Handicap (G1), and Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1).

Cardiac Cowboy finished fourth and was followed by Relentless Rocket, Ab Boogie, Catchn Southern Rays, and Ultimate Battle. Ajs Favorite Ia was scratched from the race.

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