December 22, 2024

Optimizer leads throughout in Colonel Bradley

Last updated: 1/26/13 7:53 PM











Optimizer provided another big January win for Team Lukas

(Hodges Photography/Lou Hodges Jr.)

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and jockey Jon Court took down another
big race at Fair Grounds on Saturday when Bluegrass Hall’s homebred Optimizer
scored a wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3, $125,000
Colonel
E.R. Bradley Handicap
.

The victory came one week after the trainer-jockey combo teamed up to win the
Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds with Oxbow. They also captured the $150,000
Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park last Monday with Will Take Charge.

Setting a modest pace of :24 and :50 over a course labeled good but still
drying out after a wet January, Optimizer came under a bit more pressure as he
passed the six-furlong mark in 1:15 3/5. However, the four-year-old son of
English Channel kicked clear in the stretch and went on to win by 3 1/2 lengths
in a time of 1:46 1/5 for about 1 1/16 miles. The 2-1 favorite in a field of
nine, Optimizer paid $6, $3.80 and $3.

“I thought (Optimizer) handled (the course) real well,” Court said. “I knew
he should run really good today and was counting on it. Mr. Lukas is having some
luck there at Oaklawn so I wanted to make sure I could bring some of that luck
with Optimizer here today.

“I think he likes these distances. If the race sets up I think he’s capable
of going a mile, a mile and a quarter. He’s got that in him, but it’s a matter
of how things set up. He can handle it, especially on the grass. Anything over a
mile is in his favor.”

String King, a multiple stakes winner in the Louisiana-bred ranks, finished
second as the 7-2 second choice, three parts of a length ahead of 14-1 chance
Bim Bam. Completing the order of finish were Unlatch, Trend, Strike Impact,
Dubious Miss, Tetradrachm, and James Street.

Although he has made frequent visits to the main track, most successfully in
the Grade 2 Rebel last year where he finished second, and the Grade 1 Breeders’
Futurity in 2011 where he finished third, Optimizer has found his best on turf.
Second in the Grade 2 With Anticipation at two, he returned to infield
competition after competing in all three legs of the Triple Crown last term. His
first stakes win came in the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park in September, and he
preceded this victory with a third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup. The
Kentucky-bred now boasts a line of 20-4-2-2, $536,942.

Optimizer’s dam is the A.P. Indy mare Indy Pick, who is a half-sister to
multiple Grade 1 winner Finder’s Fee and multiple Grade 1-winning steeplechaser
Tax Ruling. All were produced by Grade 1 winner Fantastic Find. Optimizer’s
third dam was the noted Phipps family producer Blitey, while his third dam was
1966 champion three-year-old filly Lady Pitt.