Brad Cox

While there may have been a few unanswered questions heading into Sunday's seventh race at Churchill Downs, there seemed to be none afterward. Installed the second betting choice behind the 7-5 choice, GISP Be You (Curlin), Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) completely dismantled his competition with seemingly little effort, cruising home an eye-catching 10 1/4-length winner while stamping himself a TDN Rising Star in the process. Sent screaming to the front in the blink of an eye, the 9-5 chance cut out an opening quarter in :23.83 and a half in :47.93....

Bidding through his bloodstock agent Jacob West, Mike Repole went to $1.4 million to acquire the dual graded winner and Grade I-placed Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire). Cataloged as hip 201 and consigned to the Keeneland November Sale by Four Star Sale, the Ontario-bred was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect. Trained by Brad Cox for owner Staton Flurry's Flurry Racing Stables, was third to champion Nest (Curlin) in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. and won the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and GIII Indiana Oaks as a 3-year-old in 2022...

Juddmonte homebred MULLION (c, 3, Into Mischief-Brooch, by Empire Maker) made a triumphant return to the races Sunday to graduate in 'Rising Star' style at Churchill Downs. The full-brother to fellow 'Rising Star' and Juddmonte stallion Mandaloun raced just once as a juvenile but was denied the win by the slimmest of margins at Ellis Park last August. Un-raced since that start, Mullion got back on track for trainer Brad Cox with a tour de force over a over-matched Churchill field. Squeezed just slightly at the break, the son of...

In 2022, Hill 'n' Dale's super sire Curlin got a record-setting three winners on Saturday's Breeders' Cup card. In 2023, the remarkable sire equaled that as Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin--Lockdown, by First Defence) gave her sire a hard-fought victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff sandwiched between the encore wins by Cody's Wish in the GI Dirt Mile earlier on the card and Elite Power later in the GI Sprint. Idiomatic, who has had a stellar year with eight wins from nine starts, has almost certainly sewn up the Eclipse...

West Sunset (f, 2, West Coast--Vindicated Ghost, by Vindication) didn't let the Kentucky rain slow her down en route to a stylish coast-to-coast victory in a sloppy rendition of the Rags to Riches S. beneath the Twin Spires. Coming into the race with a neck victory over a fast main track at this venue Sept. 16 after being forced to close from the back of the field, she took a diametrically opposed trip here, immediately establishing a clear lead right from the jump. Well in hand on a loose lead...

3rd-Churchill Downs, $122,250, Msw, 10-29, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.83, sy, 1 length. COASTAL INVASION (f, 2, Omaha Beach--Intelyhente, by Smart Strike) went off favored at even money and broke right to the front to show the way through a :21.97 opening quarter over the slop. Kept off the rail in the clear, she took on a challenge from eventual runner up Blue Squall (Tapwrit) at the top of the lane and dueled that rival into defeat close to home to graduate at first asking by a length. A $700,000 OBSAPR...

Keeneland closed its 2023 Fall Meet on a high note Saturday. The meet produced total all-sources wagering of $201.7 million, the second-highest Fall Meet handle and fourth-highest handle in Keeneland history. "The Fall Meet was terrific from start to finish, and we are thankful for the strong support of our participants, fans and community," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. "It was rewarding to see crowds line the rail through the very last race every day, savoring all the excitement this season had to offer. And with the recent...

Formerly known as the Kelso, Saturday's GII Forty Niner S. at Aqueduct may not have Breeders' Cup implications, but as the first graded win in New York for Cristian Torres, who piloted Everso Mischievous (c, 3, Into Mischief--Ever So Clever, by Medaglia d'Oro), it may have felt like the Breeders' Cup. Torres picked up the sixth graded win of his career after earning his first one earlier this year in the GIII Razorback S. at Oaklawn on Last Samurai (Malibu Moon). "It's unbelievable," said Torres. "I can't express how I...

4th-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 10-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.65, ft, 7 3/4 lengths. HOWL (f, 3, Practical Joke--How, by Indian Charlie) was crunched into 6-5 favoritism for a belated career debut and overcame a wide trip from the outside draw to open her account in impressive fashion. Not the swiftest away, the aptly named $190,000 Keeneland September yearling worked her way into the thick of things in quick order, but that sluggish dispatch meant that Howl was trapped out as they raced to the turn. Easing down into about the three...

Several horses pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita turned in their final preparations Saturday morning. At Keeneland, these horses each worked a half-mile over a fast track: Brightwork (Outwork) (Juvenile Fillies/Juvenile Turf Sprint) breezed in :47.80 (14/106) for trainer John Ortiz. Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) (FanDuel Mile/Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf) went in :47.20 (3/106) in company with Liguria (War Front) for trainer Chad Brown. And Proxy (Tapit) (Classic) worked in :48.40 (29/106) for trainer Mike Stidham. Working on the turf course labeled good...

5th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:01 p.m. ET. After clocking :10 flat during the OBS March under-tack show, TENNESSEE (Justify) brought $1.2 million as the second topper when the dark bay colt was purchased by Maverick Racing and Siena Farms. Unveiled here, the Brad Cox trainee races for Siena and WinStar Farm, and was purchased by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds for $250,000 at Keeneland September. Out of GSP Zinzay (Smart Strike), who went for $525,000 to Summer Wind Equine back in 2016 during Keeneland November when she carrying eventual SW &...

Cut loose in the lane and rolling home, Youalmosthadme (f, 2, Oxbow--Good Gator, by Good and Tough) gave them the slip on the cut back from a mile and dominated the Myrtlewood S. to pick up her second career black type victory. Last seen finishing second behind long-gone GIII Pocahontas victress 'TDN Rising Star' V V's Dream (Mitole), who finished second to Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Darley Alcibiades earlier in the month, Youalmosthadme already tallied an open length maiden score over this track in the spring and...