9 Feb. USA. Mineshaft H. G3. Fair Grounds. 8,5f. Dirt. 200.000 $

1.- GRASSHOPPER (R.Alvarado)
2.- SILVER LORD (C.Lanerie)
3.- MAGNA GRADUATE (J.Velazquez)


The undercard of Louisiana Derby Preview Day at Fair Grounds was headlined by Grasshopper’s stirring stretch run to capture the $150,000 Grade III Mineshaft Handicap.

After appearing hopelessly trapped in upper stretch, jockey Robby Albarado, wearing the familiar green and yellow silks of Mineshaft’s co-owner Will Farish, eventually found a narrow opening along the inside astride Grasshopper and drew clear late for a 2 1/2-length victory in the Mineshaft, for older horses on the main track.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Silver Lord, who gained the lead entering the lane, saved the runner-up spot at the wire, finishing a head to the good of second choice Magna Graduate, who was conditioned by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher.

Grasshopper, making his first start since September, got the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43.46 and increased his career earnings to $508,532 with his fourth victory in eight lifetime starts.

A homebred colt who was second by a half-length to 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense in last summer’s Grade I Travers, Grasshopper paid $4.80, $2.80 and $2.20, while Silver Lord returned $3.40 and $2.60 and Magna Graduate paid $2.40.

“He’s a real nice horse,” said trainer Neil Howard after Grasshopper’s win. “Of course, that’s easy to say now.”

Albarado, who also rode 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, was equally impressed. “That was awesome,” he said. “He has such a quick turn of foot. I was very patient. I knew it had to open up, and when it did, wow!”