The Bradford Stakes is headlined by five horses with earnings in excess of $100,000, including Indiana’s all-time richest Quarter Horse Stinkin Rich. The now seven-year-old flashy grey gelding established a track record at two and has continued to rake in seven stakes victories. With a total of $502,595, Stinkin Rich is the first Indiana bred Quarter Horse to eclipse the $500,000 mark for owner-breeder Carolyn Bruce of Lawrenceburg, Ind. Matt Frazier trains the gelding, who makes his first start of 2019 after polishing off 2018 with two victories. Stinkin Rich starts from post four at odds of 5-1 with Shanley Jackson up.
Race favorite As and Js, from the Leonardo Alcala barn, starts from post five at odds of 9-5. The five-year-old Apollitical Jess mare comes into the event off a win in the Grade II $100,000 Junos Request Stake in her last start. Edwun Lujan comes in to ride the near $500,000 career earnings winner.
WRs Valentino from the Randy Smith Stable has been favored in the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby from post five at odds of 5-2. The Mighty B Valiant gelding was a winner in his sole start for 2019 in late June. He has yet to finish back of second in six career starts with four of those as trips to the winner’s circle. Leading Jockey Berkley Packer rides for Smith, a six-time leading Quarter Horse trainer at Indiana Grand.
The second of two trials for the Blue River Derby features the return of last year’s two-year-old champ Dominyun Cartel from the Erin Thompson barn. The Indiana bred son of Dominyun was a finalist for the AQHA Two-Year-Old of the Year and ran fourth in his last start, the $74,115 Old South Derby at Delta Downs in May. Jose Beltran is back aboard for Thompson and owner-breeder Brian Gunder from post six at even odds as the race favorite.
The second all-Quarter Horse racing night will be complemented by several activities trackside, including $2 race wagers to the first 100 fans courtesy of the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana (QHRAI). The organization will also provide a t-shirt toss as well as the popular contest Quarter Four with a $20 race wager drawn each time one of the top four Quarter Horse jockeys wins a race. The top four jockeys this season are Berkley Packer, Leonardo Rodriguez, Oscar Macias and Fernando Morin. Additional handicapping will be provided by nationally known Quarter Horse racing analyst Martha Claussen.
Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.
