Bradester can expand Breeders' Cup options with Lukas win
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was three years ago that Churchill Downs unveiled a showcase race for its new September meet. Known originally as the Homecoming Classic, the race was used by Fort Larned as a final prep toward a title defense in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.
In 2014, the race was renamed the Lukas Classic to honor Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, and the winner, Cigar Street, also wound up in the starting gate in the BC Classic at Santa Anita.
Now comes Bradester looking to make a similar leap, although the speedy 6-year-old might wind up in the Dirt Mile when the Breeders’ Cup is held in five weeks at Santa Anita. Bradester already has a Win and You’re In ticket into the Classic by virtue of his 9-1 triumph in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster here in June, but trainer Eddie Kenneally is taking a realistic approach.
“We’re playing it all by ear,” said Kenneally, who trains Bradester for Houston businessman Joe Sutton. “We think he’ll run very well Saturday, and we’ll make a decision from there.”
But first things first: Bradester and jockey Corey Lanerie will have to deal with Noble Bird and seven other older horses in the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic, which goes as the 10th of 11 Saturday races. Bradester will break just to the outside of Noble Bird from post 7.
Bradester and Noble Bird share a common bond as Stephen Foster Handicap winners: Noble Bird prevailed in the 2015 running for trainer Mark Casse.
“We need to see where we are with this horse,” Casse said. “His last two races haven’t been that good, but they were both Grade 1s, so let’s see how he does here.”
Julien Leparoux has a return call on Noble Bird, a 5-year-old horse owned by John Oxley.
Other contenders in the Lukas Classic include Breaking Lucky, a Canadian shipper who was 48-1 when part of a four-way photo in the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 3, and Bullards Alley, a graded stakes winner going from turf to dirt for trainer Tim Glyshaw. Lukas actually has a longshot starter in Natchez.
Earlier Saturday, Surgical Strike and One Mean Man look like the horses to beat in a field of 10 3-year-old turf runners in the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (race 7).
Surgical Strike, based at Keeneland with trainer Ben Colebrook, has been very steady in the ranks of 3-year-old turf horses this year, with a victory in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic in late May and nearly $300,000 in earnings. He’ll break from post 3 in the 1 1/8-mile Jefferson Cup with Jimmy Graham aboard.
One Mean Man (post 4, Robby Albarado) starts alongside him after having compiled a similarly consistent record this year (four wins, $309,432 in earnings). Bred and owned by Bernie Flint and Ron Hillerich, the gray colt has a versatile style that once again should serve him well here.
“He just goes out there and runs his race,” Flint said.
Fringe players include a trio assigned the outside posts – Zapperini, Conquest Daddyo, and Keystoneforvictory.
The Jefferson Cup has undergone numerous changes since it was first run in 1977 for 2-year-olds. It was contested at a mile at the first three September meets before being lengthened for this running.
Lukas Classic (race 10)
KEY CONTENDERS
Bradester, by Lion Heart
Last 3 Beyers: 72-100-101
◗ A winner in 10 of 25 career starts, this speedy horse has earned nearly $1.2 million while winning seven stakes, including the last two runnings of the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup and the 2014 running of the Grade 3 Ack Ack.
Noble Bird, by Birdstone
Last 3 Beyers: 89-91-110
◗ His 11-length romp in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special gave hope that he was back to peak form, but now he’s looking for yet another rebound after finishing sixth in the Met Mile and fifth in the Whitney.
Jefferson Cup (race 7)
KEY CONTENDERS
Surgical Strike, by Red Giant
Last 3 Beyers: 82-83-90
◗ Bred and owned by Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson, this hard-charging chestnut came to hand over the winter at Turfway Park and might have run his best race when a decent fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby in July.
One Mean Man, by Mizzen Mast
Last 3 Beyers: 81-90-84
◗ He has won three of four starts since getting beat a head by Surgical Strike in the Arlington Classic, with his latest road trip resulting in a hard-fought victory in an ungraded stakes at Canterbury Park.
