MINESHAFT H. (gr. III ), Fair Grounds , February 23, 2013 , $150,000 Guaranteed , value of race $150,000 , 4 yo's & up , 1 1/16 miles , 1:44.82 Dirt FT .

It looks as if Fair Grounds is Mark Valeski’s favorite track. The 4-year-old son of Proud Citizen has finished either first or second in all five of his starts at the New Orleans oval, four of which are stakes. His latest win came in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) Feb. 23.

The Mineshaft also attracted Golden Ticket, who dead-heated for first with Alpha in last year’s Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, and Hero of Order, winner of the 2012 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) by a half-length over Mark Valeski at a then-record Fair Grounds win payoff of $220.80. Sent off as the 9-10 Mineshaft favorite, Mark Valeski got up to win by a length over 14-1 Cool Street.

Brereton C. Jones, the owner/breeder of Mark Valeski, also enjoyed success later on the Fair Grounds card as the breeder of Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) winner Ive Struck a Nerve, who paid a record $272.40 to win.

Jones, who owns Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky., and his wife, Libby, named Mark Valeski after an employee of the Sea View Hotel in Bal Harbour, Fla. The couple have been vacationing there 30 years.

Brereton Jones’ success at Fair Grounds this year extends beyond the exploits of Ive Struck a Nerve and Mark Valeski. Jones’ homebred filly Believe You Can won the $100,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes Feb. 2 by 101/4 lengths. Believe You Can, who won last year’s Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), is also by Proud Citizen.

“Both Mark Valeski and Believe You Can look like they’ll have great 4-year-old seasons,” Jones said. “They’ve shown courage and soundness.”

Mark Valeski, whose fourth dam is C.V. Whitney’s blue hen Silver Fog, is out of the multiple stakes-winning Fortunate Prospect mare Pocho’s Dream Girl, a half sister to stakes winner Wayne’s Crane. Silver Fog’s four stakes winners include Whitney’s Hall of Fame filly Silver Spoon.

Proud Citizen has sired 29 stakes winners. His fee at Airdrie jumped from $10,000 in 2012 to $15,000 this year, boosted by his 13 stakes winners in 2012.—D.S.

NEW ORLEANS H. (gr. II ), Fair Grounds , March 30, 2013 , $400,000 Guaranteed , value of race $400,000 , 4 yo's & up , 1 1/8 miles , 1:49.16 Dirt FT .

Graydar didn’t disappoint following his impressive performance in the Feb. 9 Donn Handicap (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park. The son of Unbridled’s Song continued to dominate some of the nation’s top older horses with another winning effort in the March 30 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II).

Graydar is campaigned by Steve Davison and NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw of the Louisiana-based Twin Creeks Racing Stables. The colt, who is conditioned by Todd Pletcher, now boasts a record of 4-0-1 from five starts, for earnings of $601,560.

After failing to meet his reserve at auction as a yearling, Graydar was bought for $260,000 by Twin Creeks team manager Randy Gullat, agent, at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Florida March 2-year-old sale from William B. Harrigan, agent.

The New Orleans Handicap winner is a product of William S. Farish’s prolific Lane’s End breeding program. Bred in Kentucky, he is out of the winning Dehere mare Sweetest Smile, who is a daughter of stakes winner Cielo Otono (by Conquistador Cielo).

Moment’s Prayer (by For The Moment), the second dam of Sweetest Smile, is the great-granddam of European and English highweight Mujahid (by Danzig), plus graded stakes-winning millionaires Musket Man (by Yonaguska) and Ron the Greek. The latter horse most recently captured the Jan. 19 Sunshine Millions Classic.

Graydar is a half brother to graded stakes-placed runners and six-figure earners Union Course (by Dixie Union) and Star of David (by Bernstein).

Sweetest Smile was most recently acquired for $85,000 by Helen Andrews’ Twin Hopes Farm at the 2012 Keeneland January mixed sale. Carrying her most recent offspring, a Curlin filly named Sweet Destiny, she was consigned by Lane’s End.

Sweetest Smile, who is kept at Dapple Stud near Paris, Ky., is in foal to Creative Cause on a March 17 cover date.

“She’s a beautiful mare,” said Mike Akers, managing member of Dapple. “We just caught a down market when middle-aged mares that had had a few foals were not as popular. We were able to get her bought at a good price for Ms. Andrews who has been a longtime client and a lovely person.”

Graydar is the 100th stakes winner for Unbridled’s Song. Among the son of Unbridled’s three other 2013 added-money winners is grade II victor Will Take Charge. Unbridled’s Song stands for $60,000 at the Taylor family’s Taylor Made Stallions near Nicholasville, Ky.—E.M.