Brad Cox

Renegade (Into Mischief), a spectacular, come-from-behind winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the GI Arkansas Derby, was tabbed as the 4-1 morning-line favorite despite drawing the rail in a field of 20 set for next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz, Jr. rides. Renegade, a $975,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, is campaigned in partnership by Repole Stable and breeders Robert and Lawana Low. Pletcher has won the Kentucky Derby twice with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017). The last horse to win the...

The 2026 Keeneland Spring Meet concluded Friday with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., trainer Brad Cox and owner Godolphin topping their respective categories. Ortiz, Jr. defended his Fall Meet title from 2025 with 22 wins, earning five more than Flavien Prat (17). Luis Saez and Jose Ortiz tied for third with 15 apiece. Ortiz, Jr.'s biggest wins of the meet came with a pair of Grade I's in the Toyota Blue Grass and the Resolute Racing Madison Stakes. Brad Cox secured his ninth training title, recording 17 wins from 43 starts....

Has the time finally come to change the dates of the Triple Crown? In an article posted Apr. 13 on the Sports Business Journal website, it was reported that the GI Preakness Stakes would be pushed back a week to be held three weeks after the GI Kentucky Derby in 2027. Maryland Jockey Club President and General Manager Bill Knauf, however, quickly shot down the report and denied that any decision had been made regarding the date of next year's Preakness. Last year's Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) famously...

3rd-GP, $68k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:54 p.m. ET Godolphin homebred Delightfully (Tapit), a full-sister to two-time champion and promising young sire Essential Quality, kicks off her career for Brad Cox. She is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Cox will also saddle second-time starter Nahla (Authentic), a half-sister to GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator). The Shadwell Stable colorbearer and $550,000 KEESEP yearling finished second on debut going two turns at Tampa Feb. 28. TJCIS PPs 6th-KEE, $110k, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:40 p.m. ET The rail-drawn Mashallah...

A trio of California-based Kentucky Derby 152 hopefuls were on the track in Kentucky Wednesday morning after arriving from the West Coast Tuesday. Norman Stables and Saints and Sinners' GI Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy (Runhappy) jogged a mile under Gustavo Alvarado during the 7:15-7:30 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners. Also at the same time, Reddam Racing's Pavlovian (Pavel) jogged a mile under Tony Romero and Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures' Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) jogged two miles under Alejandro Galindo. Trainer Michael McCarthy sent out...

The GII Baird Doubledogdare Stakes and GIII Santa Maria Stakes were the highlights of last week among the distaff set, at least from a Beyer Speed Figure perspective.   6. OVERSUBSCRIBED (GB), AQU, 4/17, Plenty of Grace Stakes, 1 mile (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure - 91 (2nd) (m, 5, by Too Darn Hot (GB)-Zurigha (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)) O-Klaravich Stables. B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (GB). T-Chad Brown. J-Manny Franco. She probably isn't one of the premier Brown turf females, but she has been spotted judiciously enough to be twice...

Final Story (Candy Ride {Arg}) came up a narrow second at 4-1 while trying this distance at Gulfstream on Mar. 14 and was installed the 1-2 choice to go one better here. Sent quickly to the front by Irad Ortiz Jr., the bay carved out opening splits of :22.91 and :45.71. Dispensing of 13-1 chance Radar Lock (Dialed In) straightening for home, the Gary and Mary West homebred ran off to score by six lengths. Out of GI La Brea winner Book Review, the winner is a half to Regal...

It truly is spring in Kentucky when the penultimate preps for the marquee event in May start rolling out, and so was the story Saturday morning as Albus (Yaupon) and Right to Party (Constitution) led the work tab for GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Churchill Downs. The top two from last month's GII Wood Memorial Stakes both went out Saturday morning with winner Albus spotted first for trainer Riey Mott. He breezed four panels in :49 flat (35/65) for his first move over the track since arriving at the venue...

With two weeks remaining until the first Saturday in May, trainer Brad Cox's Barn 22 was active Friday morning at Churchill Downs where his trio of contenders recorded their penultimate works for the GI Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile down in Florida on Thursday, Renegade (Into Mischief) got his preparations for the big day underway with his first move since winning the GI Arkansas Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher last month. In Louisville at 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern), Wathnan Racing's GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) breezed five furlongs...

In Friday's GII Baird Doubledogdare Stakes for females 4-years-old and up at Keeneland, GSW Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) will take on seven others, including GISW Gin Gin (Hightail). Currently a 5-year-old mare, Alpine Princess capped a strong 2025 campaign by winning the GIII Falls City Stakes at Churchill Downs in late November. Trainer Brad Cox gave the consistent bay two and half months away from the racetrack, then she returned to finish as the runner-up behind GI Apple Blossom Handicap heroine Claret Beret (Not This Time) in the GIII Royal...

Gary and Mary West's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Prom Queen (Quality Road) continued her preparation for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, according to a press release from the track on Thursday morning. Prom Queen, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', breezed at 9:15 a.m. ET with Edvin Vargas in the irons. She completed an opening quarter-mile in :25.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "It was a solid move...

His grandfather gave him an allowance, a dollar a week. But he wanted to know how the boy planned to spend it, and didn't like it when he put a nickel into a pinball machine--even though you could win free games if you were any good. "You don't get anything for your nickel," his grandfather complained. "Well, I get a free game," the boy replied. "If you bet on a dog or a horse, at least you have the opportunity to make some money if you're a good handicapper." So...