Brad Cox
Last seen fighting out a tight finish in the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. in neighboring New Jersey in mid-July, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) and Cyberknife (Gun Runner) are the top two choices on the morning line for what appears a contentious renewal of the $1-million GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Saturday afternoon in suburban Philadelphia. A veteran of just four starts, Taiba--a $1.7-million purchase by Zedan Racing Stables out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale--took the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at second asking, but the GI Kentucky...
Loggins (c, 2, Ghostzapper--Beyond Blame, by Blame) had a trio of bullet workouts on display for trainer Brad Cox and ran to the money as the 4-5 favorite with an impressive 'TDN Rising Star' performance on debut Saturday at Churchill Downs. Away in good order from a middle gate in a field of 11, the bay raced in between rivals in a tightly bunched group. Third and traveling smartly on the far turn, he launched a three-wide bid approaching the five-sixteenths, took control under his own power at the top of...
1st-Belmont The Big A, $95,000, Msw, 9-16, 2yo, 6f, 1:12.12, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. QUICK HAMMER (c, 2, Mor Spirit--Malibu Cove, by Malibu Moon), picked up for just $100,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Timonium Sale (:10 1/5) earlier this year, broke sharply from an outside gate, outpaced only by Warman Road (Unified) to his outside. Taken in hand, he rated patiently while racing two wide in company into the far turn with Space (Ghostzapper) until given his cue with just over a quarter mile to run. Still with a length...
Juddmonte homebred Mandaloun (Into Mischief--Brooch, by Empire Maker), the promoted 2021 GI Kentucky Derby winner, has been retired. He will stand for $25,000 (stands and nurses) at Juddmonte USA in Kentucky. Tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' in his Keeneland debut at two, Mandaloun was elevated to first via disqualification in a roughly run renewal of the GI TVG.com Haskell S. the following season at Monmouth Park. His resume also includes wins in the GII Risen Star S., GIII Louisiana S. and TVG.com Pegasus S. The handsome bay posted a...
8th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-3, 2yo, 7f, 1:22.77, ft, 3/4 length. INSTANT COFFEE (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro--Follow No One {SP}, by Uncle Mo), let go at a tick under 15-1 while breaking from the rail, had to be coaxed from the gate, but he chased along well from sixth from the inside down the backstretch. Just off that fence coming through the bend and three wide into upper stretch, he took a narrow advantage just inside the eighth pole, brushing with Arthur's Ride (Tapit) as the pair battled to the wire....
No wind, no rain, no summer storm was stopping Chop Chop from securing a first career stakes victory for herself and her freshman sire (by Quality Road) in the Aristocrat Gaming Juvenile Fillies S. She was also the second winner on the card for City of Light, following in the hoofsteps of impressive graduate Gaslight Dancer. A stalk-and-pounce winner on debut at Ellis Park Aug. 14, Chop Chop rated kindly from third here and drafted into the turn behind a pair of dueling leaders through :24.11 and :49.99 splits. Shifting...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-Ellis Park, $60k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:18 p.m. ET WinStar Farm and CMNWLTH's PENSACOLA (Into Mischief) opens his career for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. The bay colt was acquired for $600,000 following a :10 1/5 work at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale earlier this year. He is a son of stakes winner Stormy Regatta (Midshipman) and a half to stakes winner Bay Storm (Kantharos). Also debuting is AMO Racing's Hurricane J (Nyquist), a $330,000 KEESEP yearling trained by Paulo Lobo. He is a half to Grade...
1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-27, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.26, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. VERIFYING (c, 2, Justify--Diva Delite {GSW, $300,067}, by Repent), a half to none other than Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Ch. Older Dirt Female, MGISW, $3,971,500, ran to advanced billing to take a typically tough-looking Travers Day maiden as the 3-5 favorite. Debuting with blinkers on, the bay broke well and took a short lead to post splits of :22.90 and :46.04. He turned for home a bit wide, allowing Track Mate (Union Rags--Teammate) to challenge to his inside at...
1st-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 11:35 a.m. EDT The star-studded GI Runhappy Travers S. day card kicks off with a pair of juveniles events, starting with this main track sprint. VERIFYING (Justify), a $775,000 KEESEP acquisition by the Coolmore contingent, is one of the most intriguing firsters in this event. The Brad Cox pupil is out of GSW Diva Delite (Repent), who summoned $1.2 million with this colt in utero at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. That makes Verifying a half-sibling to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), who brought $5-million...
The GI Runhappy Travers S. is one of the summer's most highly anticipated events and for the past several years it has been the centerpiece of a Super Saturday card at Saratoga that serves as a Breeders' Cup preview. The Travers is one of five star-studded Grade Is on the 14-race card, which also includes the GII Ballston Spa S. for turf fillies. Intriguing storylines abound in this year's eight-horse renewal of the summer centerpiece for sophomore colts, which is topped by GII Jim Dandy S. winner Epicenter (Not This...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Though an impressive win in the GI Haskell S. helped make Cyberknife (Gun Runner) the second choice on the morning line for Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S., trainer Brad Cox agreed with the question: Is your colt underappreciated? "I think he is a little bit, given the fact he's won two Grade Is," Cox said. Very quickly, Cox made it clear that he was not quibbling that the linemaker for the 153rd Travers figured that Epicenter (Not This Time) would have the lowest odds by his...
With the completely stunned Kentucky Derby day crowd of 147,294 beginning to file out following Rich Strike (Keen Ice)'s upset for the ages, Strobe (c, 3, Into Mischief--Flashing, by A.P. Indy) looked like he could be any kind while closing out the stacked 14-race card with a dominating 'TDN Rising Star' performance. But where's the Godolphin homebred been since the first Saturday in May? "He's just back with Brad [Cox] and slowly getting back going again," Godolphin Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. "He had his first little work last...