Trainer Eddie Kenneally looms as a major player on closing weekend at Saratoga with veteran Bradester (Lion Heart) carrying a three-race win streak to Saturday's GI Woodward S. and unbeaten juvenile Bitumen (Mineshaft) slated to make his Grade I debut in Monday's Hopeful S. The former, who won the GIII Sanford S. at the Spa July 23, worked four furlongs in :48.65 in company with the 3-year-old filly Blast (Harlan's Holiday) on the main track Monday morning–the fastest of 46 works at the distance.
“He worked super,” Kenneally said of the Joseph Sutton colorbearer. “He likes the track. He's had a while since the Sanford and he's done well training here this summer. He's trained along nicely here all summer and hasn't missed a beat since the Sanford. He's still has an advantage over some of the other horses, he's ran twice. Some of them have only run once. So the timing is ideal, really.”
Sutton's Bradester finalized his preparations for the Woodward Saturday, working four panels in :48.71 (15/56) on the main track, his third local drill since capturing the GII Monmouth Cup S. in the slop July 31. The 6-year-old has made just three starts in 2016, including a win in the GI Stephen Foster H. June 18. Kenneally said that the lighter workload is by design after Bradester's taxing 2015 campaign culminated with a ninth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland in late October.
“He had plenty of racing last year, so after the Breeders' Cup, we thought we would give him a little extra time over the winter and focus on a summer-fall campaign with him this year,” said Kenneally. “So far it's working good. He's a fresh horse, a lightly raced horse this year. He's grown up again and he's even more mature now than he ever was.”
Known for his front-running style, Bradester has led wire-to-wire while never truly tested in all three of his wins this year. Nevertheless, Kenneally said he will allow regular rider Joe Bravo to make a game-time decision.
“We'll play it by ear,” Kenneally explained. “Depending on the post positions, the break, see how the race unfolds. He's shown some speed in his races but there's other horses in there that have speed as well. So we'll just play it by ear and see how the race unfolds and leave it up to Joe Bravo, who rides him with a lot of confidence. We try to not change too much.”
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