by Mike Curry

Veteran Jonesboro seems to be aging quite gracefully.

The hard-hitting seven-year-old Sefapiano horse streaked clear to win the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G2) on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows Racetrack (video). The 1 3/4-length triumph was Jonesboro’s second graded stakes win this year as he is in the midst of the most productive and lucrative season of his career.

Jonesboro finished third in the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 4 and followed with a victory in the $300,000 Texas Mile Stakes (G3) on April 25 at Lone Star Park. He entered the Cornhusker off a runner-up finish in the Lone Star Park Handicap (G3) on May 25.

Prior to the Cornhusker, Jonesboro had amassed impressive credentials with nine career stakes wins, including three Grade 3 victories, for trainer Randy Morse and owner Michael Langford. He had twice finished in the top three in Grade 2 races, but was unable to win at that level until the Cornhusker.

After breaking alertly from the far outside post in the eight-horse field, Jonesboro was angled in by jockey Cliff Berry and positioned just behind pacesetter Shadowbdancing through an opening quarter in :23.60 and a half-mile in :47.48 in the 1 1/8-mile race. Jonesboro was able to avoid the early jostling caused when Victory Pete ducked out sharply entering the first turn.

Berry asked Jonesboro to accelerate near the quarter pole and he responded with a determined rally, closing steadily on Shadowbdancing and powering clear in the final sixteenth to prevail. Jonesboro completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.01 on a track rated as fast to improve to 14 wins in 40 starts.

Out of 1985 champion three-year-old filly and Racing Hall of Famer Mom’s Command, Jonesboro boosted his earnings to $1,380,575. He was bred in Kentucky by Jayeff B Stables.

Even-money favorite My Pal Charlie never threatened and finished six lengths behind runner-up Shadowbdancing in third.

Also on Saturday’s card, Grade 3 winner Euphony stalked the pace as the 6-to-5 favorite and shook free to a one-length win in the $125,000 Iowa Distaff Stakes (video). She improved to nine wins, one second, and one third in 11 starts and boosted her bankroll to $448,600.

The Forest Wildcat filly, campaigned by owner-breeder Pin Oak Stable completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.71.

Triple AAA Ranch’s homebred Ez Dreamer controlled the pace in the $125,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap and cruised to a 3 1/4-length score at 24.20-to-1 odds (video). The outsider in the six-horse field, Ez Dreamer was the only contender sent off at double-digit odds.

The four-year-old Arizona-bred In Excess (Ire) colt covered six furlongs in 1:08.26 to improve to six wins in 17 starts and nail down his third career stakes win.

For Equibase charts, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor