Nates Mineshaft confirmed for the Stephen Foster Handicap
The 5-year-old ridgling by Mineshaft, Nates Mineshaft’s status was updates from “probable” to “definite” for a the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap by trainer Austin Smith, who confirmed on 12 June that his runner will be a part of a tough field in the 1
1/8 mile event at Churchill Downs on 16 June, 2012.
"It's a Grade 1 and he doesn't have to ship anywhere," Smith said. "It's going to be a tough race, but you have to find out what you've got."
Windy Hill Farm’s Nates Mineshaft was earlier scheduled to run in the Grade 2 Firecracker Handicap over the Matt Winn Turf Course on 1 July, 2012, but Austin Smith ruled out all speculations by confirming him for the Stephen Foster.
Bred in Kentucky by Cobra Farm Inc, Nates Mineshaft is exiting a massive win in the Grade 3 Lone Star Handicap at Lone Star Park, when he defeated Get In Da House by a massive margin of 7 ¼ lengths to take the 1 1/16 mile race in 1 minute and 42.91 seconds
on 28 May, 2012.
Nates Mineshaft started out this season at Fair Grounds Race Course, and had an awesome run there with three wins in as many starts.
He started with a 1 mile 70 yard allowance/optional claimer, and win it easily on 19 January, 2012, and completed the distance in 1 minute and 41.94 seconds.
The runner established himself as the top older horse in 2012, with a win in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap on 25 February, 2012, and then went on to defeat the already established horse, Mission Impazible by another huge margin of 7 ¼ lengths in the Grade
2 New Orleans Handicap at about 1 1/8 miles on 1 April, 2012, as he topped the distance in 1 minute and 47.64 seconds.
"That was more my fault than the horse's," Smith said. "There was some speed in the race and I told (jockey) Jesse (Campbell) to rate him. At Lone Star, we let him roll (on the lead) and it worked out a lot better."
Alternation, Wise Dan, Nehro will be a few who will look to spoil Nates Mineshaft’s super run in the new campaign when he runs in the Stephen Foster Handicap.
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