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Struttin High Wins Bradford Stakes
Struttin High and Alex Estrada turned in a strong performance to take home top honors in the $75,000 Bradford Stakes Sunday, Oct. 18 at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino. The duo edged out the competition in a time of :17.600.
Starting from the center of the 10-horse field, Struttin High had a clean break and an early advantage on the field. The four-year-old son of Struttin To Beduino began to emerge as the leader halfway through the 350-yard dash.
Several horses were closing in quickly at the wire, but Struttin High was able to fend off the opposition and win by a nose over Yoast and Oscar Delgado. Shamu Moon and Louis Stokes were one-half length back in third.
“We shipped out to Prairie Meadows to race and just gave him (Struttin High) some time off before this race,” said trainer Matt Frazier. “We didn’t really do anything special before this race. We wanted to keep everything the same. He won over this track earlier and he seems to like this track. We are based out of Lexington, Ky. at the training center. We are about the only Quarter Horse game around down there.
Struttin High now has five wins in nine starts for 2009. He is two for two over Hoosier Park’s oval for Frazier. Frazier’s father, Dan, owns Struttin High, who now has more than $200,000 in career earnings.
“He (Struttin High) broke good and had a great start,” said Estrada, who earned the biggest win of his riding career. “We’ve been waiting for this race for a while. I really appreciate the opportunity that Matt (Frazier) and his father have given me. They have stuck by me always, and I appreciate that.”
Making the trophy presentation to the Fraziers and Struttin High was Trey Buck, executive director of the AQHA along with Jeff Smith, general manager of racing and Tom Mosley, president of the QHRAI. The Bradford Stakes is part of the John Deere Bonus Challenge, which adds $10,000 into the final purse. The series travels around to different states to assist in promoting Quarter Horse racing through national sponsor John Deere, who has supported the series the past few years.
