The Player rebounds to win Fair Grounds' Mineshaft Handicap

With blinkers added, The Player shot out of the gate in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds and never looked back, narrowly missing the track record.

An upset winner of the Grade 2 Hagyard Fayette Stakes in October, The Player then disappointed with respective fifth and fourth place finishes in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap and the Louisiana Stakes. He rebounded by moving quickly from the gate under jockey Calvin Borel.

First Premio, to The Player’s outside, tried to get up for the lead, but Borel took advantage of the rail and guided The Player to a comfortable front-running position. Thirstforlife, who was claimed from the Mark Casse barn three starts back, was up for third on the outside while Scuba, the second choice behind The Player, raced near the back.

Borel and The Player set opening fractions of :24.27, :47.98 and 1:12.13. As each fraction went by, The Player’s leading margin grew. The field gave chase turning for home, but The Player ultimately won by 4 ¼ lengths, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.29. He was just shy of Pie in Your Eye’s 1994 record of 1:42.02.

Thirstforlife kept his nose in front for second over Scuba, who made a wide move turning for home. First Premio, Rich Daddy, Team Colors and No Distortion completed the order of finish. Cedartown was scratched.

Co-owned, bred and trained by Buff Bradley, The Player picked up his fifth win in 13 starts, giving the 5-year-old son of Street Hero $452,485 in earnings.