Kupuna finds first turf stakes win in Colonel E. R. Bradley
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Kupuna became a turf stakes winner in the $100,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley on Saturday at Fair Grounds when he moved past favorite Lagynos in the later stages for a 1 1/4-length win.
It was another half-length back in third to Cameo Performance.
The Bradley, which was a 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up, was one of three turf stakes on the Lecomte Day card alongside the $100,000 Duncan F. Kenner won by Usually Wrong ($5) and the $100,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial won by Medoro ($4.20).
Kupuna ($8.20) had two horses beat in the early stages and down the backside as Theismann set fractions of 23.40 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.44 for the half-mile and 1:13.46 for six furlongs.
Kupuna put in a big, three-wide move around the final turn, came six wide into the stretch, and took after new leader Lagynos. The winner went on to cover the distance on firm ground in 1:42.37.
“He’s a horse that loves to come from behind,” winning rider Luis Saez said in an interview conducted by Fair Grounds. “He finished very strong.”
Norm Casse trains Kupuna for Flying P Stable. Kupuna’s previous stakes win had come on the main track in the Evangeline Downs Mile. The son of Hard Spun has now won 7 of 29 starts for earnings of $695,778.
Krantz Memorial
Medoro moved past pacesetter Cupids Crush in the stretch for a three-quarter-length win over the 27-1 shot in the Krantz Memorial. It was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third to 72-1 outsider Lucky Speech.
Medoro was the favorite and topped a fifty-cent trifecta that returned $448.20.
The Krantz Memorial was a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares.
Medoro broke with the field and settled in fifth along the rail as Cupids Crush put up fractions of 23.23 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.85 for the half-mile and 1:13.17 for six furlongs.
Medoro picked up steam into the final turn, was angled off the fence, came four wide into the stretch, and took after Cupids Crush. The winner covered the distance on firm ground in 1:42.17.
Jose Ortiz was aboard for trainer Peter Eurton.
Medoro is a daughter of Honor Code who races for C R K Stable. She came into the Krantz off a troubled sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar.
Medoro was winning her fifth stakes race Saturday and overall has compiled a career mark of six wins from 13 starts for earnings of $563,100.
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