Special Reserve battled pacesetter Quick Tempo in the stretch before putting away that rival and drawing off late to win the Iowa Sprint Stakes by two-and-three-quarter lengths at Prairie Meadows July 3.
It was the second consecutive Stakes victory for the five-year-old Midshipman gelding, who has now won four of his last five starts for trainer Mike Maker. Special Reserve entered the Iowa Sprint off a win in the G3 Maryland Sprint Match Series Stakes at Pimlico on May 15.
Bred in Kentucky by Russell L. Reineman Stable Inc., Special Reserve is out Love Spun, by Hard Spun. Love Spun is a half-sister to multiple Stakes winner Humor at Last and to Original Spin, winner of the G3 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes and who was G1-placed in both the Test Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Midshipman’s 17% Black Type horses from starters continues to be among the best in the business. In addition to Special Reserve, other top performers this year include Royal Ship, winner of the G2 Californian; Averly Jane, winner of the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes and Navy Armed Guard, winner of the Listed All American Stakes.
