Windy Hill Farm's Nates Mineshaft opened his stakes account with a 2 3/4-length win in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap on February 25 at Fair Grounds and continued his winning ways at that track on Sunday when wiring the Grade 2, $396,000 New Orleans Handicap by 7 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Austin Smith, the Mineshaft ridgling established a new track record when jockey Jesse Campbell guided him through 1 1/8 miles on the fast dirt in 1:47.64. The previous track had also been set in the New Orleans 'Cap, when Phantom on Tour ran in 1:48.13 to take the 1998 edition.

Nates Mineshaft found company on the front end as Thirtyfirststreet moved up to press the pace throughout the backstretch when the gates opened. Setting splits of :23 1/5, :46 4/5 and 1:11, the five-year-old never let that rival get past as he headed into the turn. Defending champion Mission Impazible had been patiently biding his time just in behind and Pants on Fire was swung wide as he tried to close on the outside.

Those two never got a chance to challenge, though, as Nates Mineshaft quickly opened up once hitting the lane. Campbell urged his mount on and Nates Mineshaft responded to draw off for the easy win.

Sent off the 9-1 fifth choice in the eight-horse field, Nates Mineshaft paid $20.80, $7.20 and $4 to his faithful backers. Mission Impazible, the 6-5 favorite, was 3 1/2 lengths in front of Toby's Corner on the line, while Mister Marti Gras finished another three-quarter lengths back in fourth. Pants on Fire was next while Redeemed, Fast Alex and Thirtyfirststreet completed the order under the wire. Nehro scratched earlier in the day after tying up on Saturday.

Nates Mineshaft ran his Fair Grounds record to five-for-five with Sunday's score. While only boasting a 13-6-1-1 career mark, he's already on his fourth trainer after playing musical barns a few times. The bay's only other stakes experience came as fourth-place runs in the Evangeline Mile Handicap and Oak Hall Stakes last summer at Evangeline Downs. The winner's share from the New Orleans 'Cap boosted his lifetime earnings to $415,428.

The Cobra Farm-bred Kentucky native passed through the sales ring just once, only bringing $8,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling. Nates Mineshaft's dam, the stakes-winning Silver Deputy mare Angel's Tearlet, was a record-setter herself at Lone Star Park and placed in the Grade 3 Honorable Miss Handicap in 1998. Her first registered foal was multiple stakes victor Mr. Trieste.

There's not much in the immediate family of this female line, but one can find champions Polynesian and Black Maria if they go far enough back.