The Prairie Meadows racecourse can be found in the town of Altoona in the state of Iowa. Negotiations to build a track began in 1984, but it was to take 5 years before the inaugural meeting on 1st March 1989. Success was short lived and the track became financially challenged on 27th November 1991 leading to its closure. Money from a casino and slots allowed racing to return on 7th May 1993 and it went from strength to strength. Today the 8 furlong oval dirt track, with separate 6 furlong and 10 furlong chutes, share a 330 metre home straight. The racecourse boasts excellent facilities, with a grandstand with the capacity to seat 7,000 enthusiastic punters. Its principal race is the Iowa Derby which is run over 8 ½ furlongs, first being contested in 1989. In 2011 it was decided to abandon harness racing, with the final meeting taking place on 22nd October 2011. Other feature races at the track are the Iowa Oaks for fillies, the Cornhusker Handicap, inherited from nearby Ak-Sar-Ben when it closed in 1995, and the Prairie Meadows Breeders Cup Handicap.

Iowa Derby winners since 1999
1999 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Gritsn Hard Toast trained by T V Smith and ridden by Willie Martinez
2000 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Captain Steve trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Shane Sellers
2001 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Touch Tone trained by Ronny Werner and ridden by Robby Albarado
2002 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Easyfromthegitgo trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Donnie Meche
2003 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Excessivepleasure trained by Douglas ONeill and ridden by Jon Court
2004 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Swingforthefences trained by Richard Violette and ridden by Shaun Bridgemohan
2005 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Shamoan trained by Eoin Harty and ridden by Jose Valdivia
2006 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by More Than Regal trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Shaun Bridgemohan
2007 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Delightful Kiss trained by Pete Anderson and ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez
2008 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Tiz Now Tiz Then trained by Eoin Harty and ridden by Miguel Mena
2009 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Duke of Mischief trained by David Fawkes and ridden by Eibar Coa
2010 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Concord Point trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Martin Garcia
2011 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Prayer for Relief trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Rafael Bejarano
2012 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Hansen trained by Michael Maker and ridden by Ramon Dominguez
2013 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Looking Cool trained by Carl Nafzger and ridden by Leandro Goncalves
2014 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Jessicas Star trained by Michael Stidham and ridden by David Mello
2015 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Bent on Bourbon trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Javier Castellano
2016 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by American Freedom trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Rafael Bejarano
2017 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by Hence trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Mike E Smith
2018 The Iowa Derby over 8 ½ furlongs was won by High North trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses