Brad Cox

6th-Keeneland, $130,000, Alw (NW3$X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 10-12, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.16, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. GIANT MISCHIEF (c, 4, Into Mischief--Vertical Oak {MGSW, $773,095}, by Giant Oak), a returning 'TDN Rising Star' made his first start Saturday since coming third in the GI Malibu Stakes to end the year Dec. 26. Off the board only once in seven prior starts, the Brad Cox runner rebounded here off nearly the year-long layoff as the 4-5 favorite by jumping straight to the front under Tyler Gaffalione. Chased throughout by a determined but...

Idiomatic (Curlin), the defending Eclipse champion older mare, capped a big day for Juddmonte Farms with a wire-to-wire victory in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Sunday. Hours after Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) gave the operation its record seventh victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Idiomatic was sent off the 1-5 favorite in the Spinster, a Win and You're In event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The bay mare broke alertly and was soon at the head of affairs while pressed by Candied (Candy Ride...

Continuing an important weekend as next month's Breeders' Cup World Championships rapidly approach, Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes headlines Sunday's graded stakes action spanning from coast to coast. A 'Win and You're In' for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, the Spinster has six contenders signed on, including last season's champion older mare Idiomatic (Curlin), who draws the rail under regular pilot Florent Geroux. The winner of a trio of Grade I stakes in 2023--capped off by the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita--the Juddmonte homebred has proven consistent at...

In a division lacking the star power of previous years, another contender threw his hat in the ring Friday as Federal Judge (Army Mule) wired the field in the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix at Keeneland to earn his spot into the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Making his third start of the form cycle off over a year-long layoff, the 4-year-old gelding picked up his second straight win having also taken a field of Saratoga allowance runners gate to wire over nearly this distance Aug. 31. Clearly the speed of...

Tickets, please! Keeneland's fall meet has the turnstiles primed Friday and that means the featured GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes will fill the apron on what promises to be massive weekend with some 30 graded races across North America--half of which have Breeders' Cup implications. The signature top-level race at the site of the Old Keene Farm was named for a foundational mare who was bred at Hal Price Headley's Beaumont--where modern-day Mill Ridge resides. Alcibiades won the 1930 Kentucky Oaks for Headley, who was one the Keeneland Association's founders and...

Timberlake (Into Mischief), a 'TDN Rising Star' and Grade I winner at two, will stand the upcoming breeding season at WinStar Farm and his stud fee will be set at $20,000 S&N, according to a press release from the company on Thursday morning. "Being an attractive and imposing son of top sire Into Mischief, Timberlake showed tremendous precocity in winning the GI Champagne and being second in the GI Hopeful at two," said David Hanley, senior vice president/bloodstock services for WinStar Farm. "With his exceptional physical and his unique depth...

Unraced since filling the trifecta in the Bourbonette Oaks in March, Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) made a triumphant return to the track Sunday night with a romp in the Remington Park Oaks. The daughter of Classic Empire seemed on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks late last year with back to back wins including a two-length score in the Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds to end her juvenile campaign. Fourth on a sloppy track to start 2024 in the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes, Alpine Princess switched to the Tapeta for...

10th-Churchill Downs, $123,375, Msw, 9-29, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.35, ft, 3/4 length. SOUK PLAZA (f, 2, Street Boss--Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini) debuted as the even-money favorite here but was slow from the gate and had to settle back off the pace as Nancy Lynn (Justify) put up a quick :21.85 opening quarter. Still mid pack but making steady progress through the field into the far turn, the homebred fanned out to the grandstand side with a quarter to run and wore down 10-1 longshot Banking Silver (Liam's Map) to get...

Hit Show got up late to cap a huge day for Wathnan Racing with a win in the GII Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs Saturday night. The 3-1 shot angled to the rail under the wire the first time and into the first turn while many of his foes opted to angle outside over the sloppy going. Settled in fourth off the pace down the backstretch as Cooke Creek set a moderate pace, the gray began making forward progress approaching the far turn. He rolled up five wide approaching the...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. There was a fair bit of steam behind Admiral Dennis (c, 2, Constitution--Gulf Coast, by Union Rags) as he entered the starting gate first time out for trainer Brad Cox in a deep maiden special weight at Churchill Downs Sept. 19. There will be even more next time. Off as the 5-2 favorite, the Albaugh Family Stables colorbearer broke in at the start and was outsprinted in...

1st-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 9-26, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:16.15, ft, 6 1/4 lengths. STUNNER (f, 2, Girvin--Spun Beauty, by Hard Spun) was made the 4-5 favorite for her Aug. 23 debut at Saratoga, but could do no better than a distant second behind a 'TDN Rising Star' performance from Senza Parole (Gun Runner) while finishing two lengths clear of third-placed Hay Evabody (Mitole). Sent away at 30 cents on the dollar to go one better this time around, the $190,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase won the break...

1st-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 9-21, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:18.42, ft, 1/2 length. COMES A TIME (c, 2, Not This Time--Bachelors Walk, by Street Cry {Ire}) broke at odds of 7-1 and was prominent from the outside throughout, staying in touch from a close third and shifting up outside pacesetter Rookie Card (Adios Charlie) into the stretch. The pair dueled down the stretch with Comes a Time just collaring his rival in the final yards to win by a half-length. Insighted runner Fun to Tap (Tapit) never factored after...