Bradester captures Mineshaft

Joseph W. Sutton's Bradester was making just his second stakes start on

Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000

Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds, and the bay

four-year-old prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths on the wire to give jockey Rosie

Napravnik her second stakes win on the card.

"Sat in a great position, he wanted

to wait," Napravnik said. "I had to urge him along a bit, but he's classy

horse."

Bradester bided his time in third to the outside of Ground Transport as the

duo tracked pacesetter Grand Contender through splits of :24, :48 1/5 and 1:12

1/5. The Lion Heart colt continued his wide trip when circling the turn three

wide and stuck his head in front of a stubborn Grand Contender in the stretch

before proving best by a wider margin on the line.

Bradeseter stopped the clock in 1:43 4/5 for 1 1/16 miles on the fast dirt

but had to withstand an objection lodged by James Graham for alleged

interference in the lane before he could take up a spot in the winner's circle.

The stewards wasted no time in disallowing the objection following a review, and

Bradeseter paid $15.40 for the win as the 6-1 fifth pick.

Grand Contender held second by 1 3/4 lengths over Fordubai, who in turn was

three parts of a length up on Ground Transport. Afford, the 39-1 longshot, just

got his neck in front of 2-1 favorite Prayer for Relief to take fifth, while

Micromanage, Stephanoatsee and Mister Marti Gras completed the order of finish.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, the lightly raced Bradester improved his career

mark to 9-4-3-1, $305,054. The four-year-old bay made his racing debut at

Churchill Downs in October 2012, finishing second in that initial outing, before

breaking his maiden one month later by 3 1/4 lengths. The Kentucky-bred colt

scored in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park while making his sophomore

debut next out on New Year's Day, but wasn't seen in action again until a

runner-up effort in a Saratoga optional claimer in August.

Bradester tried stakes company for the first time in the Indiana Derby and

reputed himself well when second, then suffered his first off-the-board run by

filling the fourth spot in an optional claimer back at Churchill. He closed out

2013 with another placing under the Twin Spires against similar and entered the

Mineshaft off a 2 1/4-length front-running victory at Gulfstream in a January 17

contest.

Bred by Doug Branham, Bradester sold for $13,000 as a Keeneland November

weanling before brining $20,000 a year later at the Fasig-Tipton Easter Fall

Yearling Sale. He made one more trip through the auction ring, selling for

$195,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale as a two-year-old.

Bradester is the first registered stakes scorer out of the winning Grand Slam

mare Grandestofall, who is a half-sister to stakes victor Short Round and

stakes-placed Cat Striker. His third dam is Grade 2 vixen Zealous Connection,

who would go on in the breeding shed to produce Grade 3 hero Here's Zealous,

Grade 3 runner-up There's Zealous and stakes diva She's Zealous.

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