Bradester No Second Fiddle in Ack Ack Win

By Jerry Bossert



After playing second fiddle in his prior two starts, favored Bradester finished on top in the $107,300 Ack Ack Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 6 from Churchill Downs, holding off Carve in a front-running effort by 1 3/4 lengths .



Breaking alertly under jockey Corey Lanerie in a field of five older horses, 6-5 shot Bradester set the early pace (:23.46 for the opening quarter mile) before being joined by Right to Vote to his inside, with the pair running the half-mile in a sharp :45.77. Second choice Carve chased in third.



Bradester and Right to Vote continued as a team on the far turn, with Bradester a half-length in front after six furlongs in 1:09.48. Carve, ridden by Jesus Castanon, chased to the top of the stretch, taking over for the weakening Right to Vote, where Bradester found another gear under Lanerie to pull away. Bradester held off Carve through the lane under left-handing urging from Lanerie, running the mile in a strong 1:34.54.

"I had a perfect trip, just like we wanted him to," said Lanerie, who rode his 19th career stakes victory at Churchill Downs. "If somebody wanted the lead I was going to let them have it, but I kept him out of trouble and was just a good passenger."



Flashback, with Shaun Bridgmohan up, got up to be third over Right to Vote, 5 1/2 lengths behind Carve, while Politicallycorrect never threatened in last.



Bradester, a 4-year-old son of Lion Heart who was purchased by owner Joseph W Sutton for $195,000 at the March 2012 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale, picked up his fifth win from 14 career starts. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by Doug Branham out of the Grand Slam mare Grandestofall.



In his past two starts, both at Monmouth Park, Bradester finished second in the Salvator Mile (gr. III) behind eventual Woodward (gr. I) winner Itsmyluckyday   July 6, before placing behind Valid in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (gr. II) at 1 1/16 miles three weeks later.



Earlier this year, Bradester captured his only other stakes win in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 22.



Bradester now has hit the board in 11 of his 14 career starts, while pushing his earnings to $455,532.

"He's been really, really good," winning trainer Eddie Kenneally said. "He's matured and developed and I think he's a better horse than he was and he's still improving. It took him a while to get more professional in his races. Sometimes he gets a little bit intimidated when in between horses and such, but he's a little braver now and a little bit more mature and probably a better horse as well. He's just better with age, perhaps."



Under 119 pounds, Bradester returned $4.40 to win $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show. Carve paid $3 to place and $2.20 to show, while Flashback returned $2.60 to show.

Kenneally said the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) is under consideration for Bradester.

"We'll probably run him in the Kelso (gr. II) at Belmont and see how he does off of that. But that Breeders' Cup race is a possibility," he said.



The $400,000 Kelso Handicap (gr. II), at one mile, is part of the "Super Saturday" card at Belmont Park Sept. 27.