Fresno: Maiden Vadheim graduates in stakes

Vadheim ($50.60), one of three maidens entered, held off graded-stakes-placed Sky Cape to win Friday's $52,975 Harvest Futurity at the Big Fresno Fair.

Third in his Sept. 7 debut at Bay Meadows in a $50,000 maiden claimer and then fourth in a straight maiden race Sept. 29, Vadheim assumed a nice stalking position behind pacesetting Run Brother Ron and Whatever Whenever early. He was shuffled back to fourth at the quarter pole, swung three wide, and then finished strongly.

He held off Sky Cape, who ran head and head with him most of the way, to win the six-furlong race by a nose in 1:09.50. Orientate Me, a stablemate of favored Run Brother Ron, took third by a nose over another maiden, Autism Awareness. Run Brother Ron and Whatever Whenever faded in the stretch.

A $34,000 Keeneland yearling purchase by Kjell Qvale, Vadheim earned $27,630 to increase his career earnings to $31,830.