The first of three graded turf stakes of the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots 2016-17 season for older horses stars GenStar Thoroughbreds' and Brad Cox-trained local favorite Chocolate Ride, who seeks a repeat in the Jan. 21 $125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes (G3T) over 1 1/16 miles.
Finishing fourth in a four-horse photo-finish last out in the Dec. 17 Buddy Diliberto Memorial over the same conditions, he is again joined by Marc Detampel-owned stablemate Western Reserve, who defeated the 6-5 favorite by a neck in that race. Florent Geroux again has the mount on Chocolate Ride from post six, while Shaun Bridgmohan again rides Western Reserve from post three.
The remaining two in the blanket finish also return in the Mike Maker-trained Greengrassofyoming, who was second by a nose for owner Michael Hui, and Granny's Kitten, who was another nose back in third for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Robby Albarado and Miguel Mena have the return mounts from posts five and nine, respectively.
The iron horse in both coat and courage of the field is Hillerich Racing and trainer Bernie Flint's homebred One Mean Man, who enters on three weeks' rest after taking the Woodchopper Stakes on New Year's Eve. Making his first start against older horses, the gray son of Mizzen Mast won five stakes in 2016. Regular rider Albarado was unavailable and James Graham picks up the mount from post four.
The remainder of the field is comprised of Rocket Time, track record setter Blarp and Diliberto also-rans Glorious Empire and Pumpkin Rumble.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, January 21, 2017, Race 8Entries: Colonel E. R. Bradley H. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Rocket Time (KY) Colby J. Hernandez 117 Albert M. Stall, Jr. 10/1 2 2Blarp (KY) David Romero Flores 115 Thomas M. Amoss 8/1 3 3Western Reserve (KY) Shaun Bridgmohan 119 Brad H. Cox 7/2 4 4One Mean Man (KY) James Graham 115 Bernard S. Flint 8/1 5 5Greengrassofyoming (KY) Robby Albarado 119 Michael J. Maker 5/1 6 6Chocolate Ride (KY) Florent Geroux 121 Brad H. Cox 5/2 7 7Glorious Empire (IRE) Gabriel Saez 115 Thomas Morley 12/1 8 8Pumpkin Rumble (PA) Mitchell Murrill 116 Gary M. Scherer 10/1 9 9Granny's Kitten (PA) Miguel Mena 120 Michael J. Maker 6/1
