Bradester runs big in Salvator Mile

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The third time was the charm for Bradester at Monmouth Park.

Last summer, he ran well in two Monmouth starts, finishing second to Itsmyluckyday in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile and second to Valid in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup.

On Sunday, he won the Salvator Mile by two lengths over Red Vine. Trainer Eddie Kenneally said after the race he would take Bradester back to his New York base and point him for the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup. The $200,000 race will be run on the Aug. 2 Haskell undercard at 1 1/16 miles.

"Two of his best races have been at Monmouth," Kenneally said. "He likes the track here.

Bradester, a 5-year-old son of Lion Heart, has now won 6 of 18 starts while earning $557,732. On Sunday, Bradester paid $15.60 and covered a mile in 1:35.32.

Kenneally took Bradester to Dubai for the Godolphin Mile this spring but he finished 13th. He returned five weeks later in a Churchill Downs optional-claiming race at a mile but tired in the stretch after taking the lead on the far turn.

Kenneally removed blinkers from Bradester's equipment for the Salvator.

"He runs best when he relaxes and is not pushed too hard early," Kenneally said. "In the Churchill race he went the middle part a little too quick. I took the blinkers off because of how aggressive he was."

In the Salvator, jockey Corey Lanerie placed Bradester on the pace outside Fabulous through slow fractions of 24.42 and 47.61 seconds. He shook free on the far turn while timed in 1:10.83 and then held off Red Vine in the stretch. It was 1 1/4 lengths back from Red Vine to Valid in third.

Race Day, the 4-5 favorite, was bumped at the start and never got involved in the race. He finished sixth.