Nates Mineshaft, who could have been claimed for $25,000 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans last December, scored his third graded stakes victory of 2012, going wire to wire under jockey Jesse Campbell to win the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap at Lone Star Park on Monday. Get in Da House finished second, with Night Party third. Time for the one-mile on a fast main track was 1:36.17.

Nates Mineshaft won that claiming race in December, then followed with another victory in an optional claiming race at Fair Grounds. He then scored a front-running victory in the G3 Mineshaft Handicap, named for his sire, then stepped up to G2 company to win the New Orleans Handicap, defeating Mission Impazible by 7 14 lengths. Last time out, he was off the board in the G2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day.

Nates Mineshaft rocketed to the front of hte Lone Star Park Handicap and set fractions of :25.11, :49.20 and 1:11.97, widening his lead down the stretch to win easily.

Bred in Kentucky by Cobra Farm, Nates Mineshaft has now won 7-of-15 starts and the winner’s share of the $300,000 purse from the Lone Star Park Handicap raised his earnings to almost $600,000.