Iowa Derby

The Iowa Derby is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs) on the dirt annually at Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Altoona, Iowa. The purse of the event is US$250,000.^[1]

Iowa Derby

Class	Listed
Location	Prairie Meadows Racetrack Altoona, Iowa, United States
Inaugurated	1989
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.prairiemeadows.com
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$250,000 (2018)

Race History

The race was first run in 1989 as an ungraded stakes race. It became a Grade III event in 2010 ^[1] and lowered back to Listed in 2018.

Records

Speed record:

• 1:40.37 - Concord Point (2010)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - Steven M. Asmussen (2002, 2006, 2017, 2023, 2025)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - Rafael Bejarano (2011, 2016, 2024)

Most wins by an owner:

• No owner has won this race more than once

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2025	Magnitude	Ben Curtis	Steven M. Asmussen	Winchell Thoroughbreds	1:42.26
2024	Henro	Rafael Bejarano	Chris A. Hartman	JD Thoroughbreds LLC & Joey Keith Davis	1:42.72
2023 2	How Did He Do That	Richard Eramia	Steven M. Asmussen	J. Kirk & Judy Robison	1:43.57
2022	Ain’t Life Grand	Elvin Gonzalez	Kelly R. Von Hemel	RPM Thoroughbreds	1:42.65
2021	Stilleto Boy	José Ortiz	Doug L. Anderson	Steve Moger	1:42.64
2020 1	Acre	Martin Garcia	William I. Mott	Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider	1:42.74
2019	Top Line Growth	Julian Pimentel	Kelly Rubley	The Elkstone Group, LLC	1:43.07
2018	High North	Florent Geroux	Brad H. Cox	Shortleaf Stable, Inc.	1:44.35
2017	Hence	Mike Smith	Steven M. Asmussen	Calumet Farm	1:42.84
2016	American Freedom	Rafael Bejarano	Bob Baffert	Mary & Gary West	1:42.62
2015	Bent on Bourbon	Javier Castellano	Eddie Kenneally	Bourbon Lane Stable	1:44.00
2014	Jessica's Star	David Mello	Michael Stidham	Mark D. Breen	1:44.12
2013	Looking Cool	Leandro R. Goncalves	Carl A. Nafzger	Jim Tafel	1:44.29
2012	Hansen	Ramon Dominguez	Mike Maker	Dr. Hansen & Skychai Racing	1:42.01
2011	Prayer for Relief	Rafael Bejarano	Bob Baffert	Zayat Stables	1:41.73
2010	Concord Point	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert	Kaleem Shah	1:40.37
2009	Duke of Mischief	Eibar Coa	David Fawkes	Joann & Alex Lieblong, et al.	1:42.26
2008	Tiz Now Tiz Then	Miguel Mena	Eoin G. Harty	Zabeel Racing	1:41.69
2007	Delightful Kiss	Jeffrey Sanchez	Pete D. Anderson	Hobeau Farm	1:42.05
2006	More Than Regal	Shaun Bridgmohan	Steven M. Asmussen	Vinery Stables	1:42.74
2005	Shamoan	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	Eoin G. Harty	P. R. & Linda Laird	1:43.14
2004	Swingforthefences	Shaun Bridgmohan	Richard Violette, Jr.	Klaravich Stables	1:43.31
2003	Excessivepleasure	Jon Court	Douglas F. O'Neill	Ty & Leroy Leatherman	1:40.82
2002	Easyfromthegitgo	Donnie Meche	Steven M. Asmussen	James Cassels & Bob Zollars	1:42.59
2001	Touch Tone	Robby Albarado	Ronny Werner	Tom R. Durant	1:42.67
2000	Captain Steve	Shane Sellers	Bob Baffert	Michael E. Pegram	1:42.35
1999	Grits'n Hard Toast	Willie Martinez	Thomas V. Smith	Thomas Victor Smith & R. A. Anderson	1:42.89
1998	Swear By Dixie	Sidney P. LeJeune Jr	Walter M. Bindner Jr.	Donald G. McClinton	1:47.39
1997	Crafty One	Sidney P. LeJeune Jr	Kenneth G. McPeek	Roy K. & Joyce Monroe	1:43.43
1996	Raja's Omega	M. Clifton Berry	Clinton C. Stuart	Jack & Jim Schuyler	1:43.03
1995	Prince Ariba	Perry S. Whetstone	Larry E. Hunt, Sr.	Hunt Country Stables	1:44.60
1989	Thelastproudperson	Wilson L. Brown	David Wilder Essman	Locke Neal	1:41.64

Notes:
¹ In 2020, Letmeno finished first but was disqualified due to interference and placed second.^[2]
2 In 2023, One in Vermillion finished in a dead heat for first with How Did He Do That. One in Vermillion was disqualified for interference and placed second.