Brad Cox

Back in the States and resurfacing on the worktab for the first time since his G1 Dubai World Cup heroics, Winchell Thoroughbreds's Magnitude (Not This Time) breezed at Churchill Downs Saturday morning. Out to work an easy half-mile, the Steve Asmussen trainee was clocked in :51.20, the 86th fastest move of 96 at the distance. It was his first published workout in North America since returning from Meydan. Also working four furlongs, among others from the barn, was MSW Braken Poppa (Aurelius Maximus), who is undefeated in 2026 from four...

Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Golden Tempo (Curlin) shipped back to Keeneland Sunday morning, a day after his dramatic late-running victory in the GI Kentucky Derby. Connections will be taking a wait-and-see approach to his participation in the May 16 GI Preakness Stakes, trainer Cherie DeVaux confirmed Sunday. DeVaux made an emotional first stop the morning after the Derby at the former Churchill Downs barn of the late trainer Chuck Simon, a full-circle moment after the biggest win of her career. "He meant a lot to me and my...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' On Time Girl (Not This Time) cut back in distance beautifully for a second graded stakes success in Friday's GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs. Drawn widest of all in post nine, the 9-5 favorite raced in striking distance in sixth through a half-mile in :45.48. She began to catch the eye while winding up four wide on the far turn and powered home down the center to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution). A sharp...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky Derby 152 goes through Spendthrift Farm. Further Ado (Gun Runner) will carry Spendthrift's famed orange-and-purple silks seeking a second Kentucky Derby victory for the operation off the heels of a daylight win with a field-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Spendthrift Farm's flagship sire Into Mischief, meanwhile, will have three chances at a fourth Kentucky Derby victory. He will be very well-represented by 4-1 morning-line favorite and GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief), GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Welcome to primetime, ladies. A fantastic renewal of the GI Kentucky Oaks is on tap, and, for the first time, will be held beneath the lights with an 8:40 p.m. ET post time at Churchill Downs Friday evening. Trainer Brad Cox will be shooting for a fourth Kentucky Oaks trophy with the very promising GII Gulfstream Park Oaks heroine and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Prom Queen (Quality Road). The legendary and much-missed duo of Woody Stephens and D. Wayne Lukas share the record for most...

4th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f&m, 7f, 2:00 p.m. ET. Juddmonte homebred COUPLET (Gun Runner) heads to the post with some strong drills under her belt in Louisville for trainer Michael McCarthy. The farm acquired the first-time starter's dam, Canadian champion 2-year-old & GISW Spring in the Air (Spring At Last), for $1.65-million during the 2015 Keeneland November sale. Couplet's extended female family includes GI Spinaway Stakes winner Sweet Loretta (Tapit) and GSW Nafisa (Quality Road). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, $134K, OC80K/N2X, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:00 p.m. ET. A $300,000 2024 Keeneland September...

A trio of graded stakes winners will attempt to take the next step up in Friday's GI La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. Heading the fray is Flying Dutchmen's Shred the Gnar (Into Mischeif), a winner of three straight in 2025 including the one-mile GIII Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15. In her sole start this term, the Brian Lynch trainee finished a troubled sixth as the even-money choice in the 8 1/2-furlong GIII Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Feb. 14. Luis Saez, in the irons for all...

Fulleffort (Liam's Map), winner of the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, will scratch from Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby field because of a left-hind ankle chip, according to Daily Racing Form on Thursday morning. The defection will allow maiden Ocelli (Connect), third in the GII Wood Memorial last time out, to move into the lineup. "Back about a month ago, we were 30 (on the Derby leaderboard)," trainer Whit Beckman said of Ocelli, who galloped Thursday morning. "The way things have gone the past couple of years, you think you might have...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Who's been making the best impression during training hours heading into the 152nd Kentucky Derby? Our boots on the ground and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack reveals his top five favorite workouts recorded from the field of 20 beneath the Twin Spires. 1) CHIEF WALLABEE April 20, 2026 | 5F | 1:00.00 (2/11) This is the move that everyone is still talking about. Sporting blinkers for the second straight breeze (he'll wear them for the first time in the Derby), 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief...

TDN's Chief Correspondent Bill Finley is joined by Senior Contributing Editor Alan Carasso and Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack to handicap Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. FINLEY: As a whole, this is not a particularly fast group, which is why the focus here is on horses who have cracked the 90 Beyer level. Note that the Beyer par for the Kentucky Oaks is a 94. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Prom Queen (Quality Road) earned a 90 Beyer when winning the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and...

It was a week of unlikely maiden performances: a staggering 106 debut Beyer and two fast runners from a rare 1 1/4-mile maiden race.   5) LATE NIGHT TEXT, 4/23-3rd, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 83 (f, 3, by Into Mischief-Arrifana, by Curlin) O-Daugherty Racing and 24th Road Racing. B-LNJ Foxwoods & Gainesway Thoroughbreds (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph Jr. J-Micah Husbands. Running for Joseph for the first time, Late Night Text improved his previous top Beyer Speed Figure by 11 points in his sixth career start to defeat a pair...

Trainer Brad Cox's trio of Kentucky Derby hopefuls--Commandment (Into Mischief), Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Further Ado (Gun Runner)--highlighted a bustling morning at Churchill Downs a week out from Derby 152. Working during the 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects, the Cox trio was joined by Chester Broman's Right to Party (Constitution) (five furlongs in 1:01.20) for trainer Kenny McPeek. For Team Cox the group included Wathnan Racing's Commandment (five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company with the 4-year-old...