Bradester targets title defense in Monmouth Cup

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bradester likely will make his next start July 31 in the Monmouth Cup after becoming a millionaire with his front-running victory Saturday night in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Eddie Kenneally said he is most comfortable with the timing and other factors involved with sending Bradester back to the Grade 2, $200,000 Monmouth Cup, a 1 1/16-mile race that the horse won last year.

“The timing is good, and I really like Monmouth,” he said.

Dismissed at 9-1, Bradester and jockey Joe Bravo held on to win the Foster by a half-length over the late-running Eagle, with Majestic Harbor another neck back in third. The $500,000 Foster was the richest of five graded stakes on an 11-race Downs After Dark card and pushed Bradester’s career earnings to $1,056,532.

Bradester, a 6-year-old owned by Houston businessman Joe Sutton, is the first horse to earn an expenses-paid berth in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita. Kenneally, however, said a run in the $1 million BC Dirt Mile the previous day is probably more realistic, saying the 1 1/4-mile Classic “might be a bit far,” and it’s also expected to attract the likes of California Chrome, Beholder, and the top 3-year-olds of 2016.

“Let’s see how he’s doing in September or October,” said Kenneally, whose three prior Grade 1 wins all came in an 11-week span in 2006 with Bushfire. “The good thing is we don’t have to decide right now.”

The Foster, incidentally, was part of a remarkable victory tour for Bravo. Earlier Saturday, Bravo won the LeVine Memorial on A. P. Indian at Parx Racing, and after the Foster on Saturday night, Bravo was back at his home track, Monmouth Park, the following afternoon to win the Pegasus Stakes aboard Donegal Moon, giving the 44-year-old jockey three stakes wins at three different tracks in little more than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, both Eagle and Majestic Harbor will remain at Churchill through the summer while their connections mull their options.

“It’s that funny time of year,” said Neil Howard, who trains Eagle for owner-breeder Will Farish. “He’s been going pretty steady now, and I’m sure Mr. Farish and I will discuss what the fall’s going to bring. Anything at Saratoga would be on an in-and-out basis.”

Easily the biggest disappointment in the Foster was Effinex, who failed to seriously threaten when finishing sixth as the 3-5 favorite. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said from New York that Effinex checked out okay afterward and was scheduled to return home Monday.