Mineshaft Stakes (Grade 3)- $250.000 Purse
FG- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
February 15, 2025

El Gran Cambio continues to get the job done for trainer Bears Stable and earns his sixth consecutive win here in the Mineshaft Stakes. It’s been quite a journey for this gelding that was claimed for $10.000 back in August. At the time of the claim, he was on a three-race winning streak, but those victories were not for high purses. Once in the hands of Bears Stable, more would be asked, and he would pick up a graded victory in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes leading into this. While this was also a Grade 3, it was against a full field and nearly double the purse. El Gran Cambio would tell his trainer, “I got this!”, and went on to get this victory! He was among our picks, but on the back end of them, as I was not concerned about his ability, but more if he would have enough time to get home as it was a shorter distance than he had been in of late. That would prove to be no concern at all! For Bears Stable, this is his first win in the Mineshaft, and that is also true for J P Spencer. Congratulations to them! Maybe we will see El Gran Cambio in a Grade 1 next! The time of this victory was 1:40.72, the third quickest in the stake’s history, but note that the two faster times had winners carrying five and seven fewer pounds. Let’s take a look at it now:

(1/4 Mile- :22.90)- Worthy Niagra is sent out to the lead for Ajm Stables, and he is all by himself with an uncontested length advantage. There is a group of four right behind him, with The Sidley Stud’s Power Grid having the upper hand in that group while running in the third lane. To his outside is Public Information, out of D J C Racing Stables and on his immediate inside is Riggins Racing’s Demonic Chant, with Mb Stables- trained State General being on the rail. Next will come Luz International’s Family Tradition, who is by himself, a length ahead of the outside running Angel Dust, out of Rock Creek. Next comes Foreign Relation (Nakamura Stables), then Investment Center (TwinTowersRacing). Our eventual winner, El Gran Cambio is tenth while on the rail for Bears Stable, and seven lengths behind. Don’t worry, that’s where he likes it. Theegala (Alydar Stables) runs at the back.

(½ Mile- :46.45)- There is no let up with Worthy Niagra, as he continues to lead the field by a length and a half. The stalkers are happy to stay right where they are, though Public Information starts to inch away from Power Grid, Demonic Chant, and State General. It’s two lengths to Family Tradition, who is still by himself in the middle of the pack. Foreign Relation is the best of the rest right now, half a length ahead of Investment Center. El Gran Cambio now runs evenly with Angel Dust, and they are eight lengths behind the leader. Theegala is still the trailer.

(Top of Stretch, 2F To Go)- While many eyes were on the two up front, as Public Information advances and catches Worthy Niagra in the turn, the one to watch was El Gran Cambio. It may have helped his cause a bit that they were a bit spread out near the back, and that would allow him to gracefully move into the sixth position without using too much energy to accomplish that task. His advance was methodical, and while he still had to make up four lengths on the leaders, there was plenty of time for him to do so. State General and Demonic Chant got a little closer from their stalking position, and Power Grid tried to keep in touch, but the bigger trouble for them was the approaching El Gran Cambio. Investment Center had also been near the back, but allowing El Gran Cambio to get by him here in the turn would be costly.

(Finish- 1:40.72)- J P Spencer would move El Gran Cambio over to the rail for the stretch, and there was enough of an opening there for him to not break stride as he made his charge. He would get a pivotal length ahead of Investment Center in the process. Out front, Public Information was the leader and going to do all he could to hang on, but in the final furlong, El Gran Cambio, a horse not being a stranger to ten-and twelve-furlong races, had much more saved up and would far too much for Public Information to overcome. El Gran Cambio would cruise on by in the final moments, and win by a length over Public Information, who held off Investment Center to complete the exacta. It was tight for the fourth-place check, but State General will edge out Worthy Niagra and Demonic Chant for that spot. The rest of the order will read Theegala, Power Grid, Foreign Relation, Family Tradition and Angel Dust.

About The Winner- El Gran Cambio, trained by Bears Stable and ridden to victory by J P Spencer, is a five-year-old gelding by Inicnam and is out of Sneaky Fuego. He was bred in California as a second quarter two-year-old, and was acquired by Bears Stable with a $10.000 claim in August 2024. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his eighth in 18 starts and second stake win, each of which are graded. His career earnings are now $302.760.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :46²  1:10²  1:40³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 7 Paid 2,670.70
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 7 – 5 Paid 1,130.50

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES