It was another stakes victory for FIRST SAMURAI’s My First Pearl at Prairie Meadows on Friday night in the Prairie Rose Stakes.
Contesting the stakes for the second straight year, My First Pearl was the back marker of the field for much of the six furlong dirt race as she raced nearly 10 lengths behind the leader. She had much work to do as they raced toward the wire in the stretch and didn’t look like she’d get there until the field raced into the final sixteenth.
Only tapped with the whip a few times before it was put away, the FIRST SAMURAI daughter flew past the leader to win by a length in a big finish for the 5-year-old.
Trained by co-owner Kevin Eikleberry, who races My First Pearl with Lloyd Yother, she has now won nine of 25 starts with five other top three finishes. Among those are three stakes victories for nearly $200,000 in earnings.
Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John A. Chandler, My First Pearl is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Nobals as one of five winners from five to race out of two-time winner Pearly Blue. Pearly Blue is out of Grade 3 winner Western Ransom.
It was a big day on the stakes front for FIRST SAMURAI with My First Pearl joined by his son LEA’s daughter Poppy Flower as stakes winners on Friday.