Honor in War, Candid Glen Head Strong Field in Col. Bradley

Grade I winner Honor in War and millionaire Candid Glen top a solid field of 11 runners in Saturday's $100,000 Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap, a 1 1/16-mile event over the Stall-Wilson course that serves as the first in a series of handicaps for older horses at Fair Grounds. The three-race series concludes with the $500,000 Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) in March.

Honor in War, assigned high weight of 119 pounds, comes into the Col. Bradley with grade I credentials, having won the 2003 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 6-year-old son of Lord At War also won the Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT) later that summer.

Honor in War failed to win in 2004, but owned some solid placings against top company, including a second behind Nothing to Lose in the Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland in October. He was entered in a turf allowance last week at Fair Grounds, but was scratched after the race was moved to the main track.

The ageless Candid Glen is back in top form for trainer Andrew Leggio Jr. The 8-year-old gelded son of El Gran Senor made a triumphant return to the races earlier at the meeting following a near 17-month break from the races, winning at about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf Dec. 2. Candid Glen won the 2003 Explosive Bid (gr. IIT), which is now run as the Mervin Muniz Memorial, at Fair Grounds at odds of 84-1.

Canadian invader Colorful Judgement, off since October at Woodbine and assigned second-high-weight of 118 pounds, won the Sky Classic (Can-IIT) in early October. America Alive goes into the Col. Bradley off a winning effort in a Dec. 31 turf start at Fair Grounds at 1 1/16 miles.

Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap
Post--Horse, Weight, Jockey
1--Xirius, 113, Tracy J. Hebert
2--Honor inWar, 119, Carlos H. Marquez Jr.
3--Colorful Judgement, 118, Larry Melancon
4--America Alive, 116, Robby Albarado
5--Social King, 114, Donnie J. Meche
6--Northern Scene, 114, Lonnie Meche
7--Candid Glen, 117, Elvis Joseph Perrodin
8--False Promises, 114, Jesse M. Campbell
9--Sea Dub, 115, Luis S. Quinonez
10--Justlikedawg, 114, Corey J. Lanerie
11--Rapid Proof, 115, Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr.