Brad Cox
One week out from the GI Runhappy Travers S., major contenders for the 3-year-old centerpiece were out in force at the Spa Saturday morning. Gold Square's GI Arkansas Derby and GI TVG.com Haskell S. winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner) breezed five-eighths in 1:00 (6/17) over Saratoga's main track. "Excellent move, galloped out great and cooled out good," trainer Brad Cox said. "We're all set. He's doing about as well as he can do and we are excited about the race." Trainer Chad Brown breezed several Runhappy Travers Day hopefuls over the...
7th-Saratoga, $83,000, Msw, 8-17, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.28, ft, 7 1/4 lengths. U GLOW GIRL (f, 2, Girvin--Mexican Miss {SW, $121,055}, by More Than Ready) was one of two in this auction price-restricted maiden with previous racetrack experience, having faded to be a distant third after setting the pace as the favorite in a similar spot July 20. Bet down to 1.15-1 favoritism to give her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati) his eighth first-crop winner, U Glow Girl contested the early pace outside of Ruler of the Night (Midnight...
3rd-Ellis, $59,065, Msw, 8-14, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:38.62, fm, 1 1/2 lengths. CHOP CHOP (f, 2, City of Light--Grand Sofia, by Giant's Causeway), a $230,000 FTKJUL yearling purchase and the 2-1 favorite in this spot, was never far out of it early, stalking in third close to the pace of Guns n' Lilies (Gun Runner) through mild fractions. Moved off the rail for her stretch run, she came with a three-wide bid down the lane, out-kicking Bel Rosso (Free Drop Billy) and Don't Go Changing (Candy Ride {Arg}) and drawing...
Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to recent GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. winner and GI Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner--Awesome Flower, by Flower Alley). The Gold Square LLC colorbearer will stand at the Lexington, KY farm at the conclusion of his racing career. "We are grateful to [owner] Al Gold and his team for allowing us to acquire the stallion rights to such an exciting horse as Cyberknife," said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. "Gun Runner has certainly asserted himself as a serious sire with his first...
Jace's Road (c, 2, Quality Road--Out Post, by Silver Deputy), a $510,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, put on a show at Ellis Park Saturday afternoon en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The bay worked four furlongs in :48 2/5 (2/90) at Brad Cox's Churchill Downs base July 29 and was hammered down to 7-5 favoritism while drawn on the outside in post nine against this deep-looking bunch. He chased on the outside in third though an opening quarter in :22.47, loomed boldly under confident handling while three-wide on the...
Shahama stalked pacesetting favorite Juji's Map before exploding to the lead off the turn and sailing clear to her first U.S. victory in the GIII Monmouth Oaks Sunday on the Jersey Shore. Sent off at 8-5, the bay shadowed Juji's Map, the 4-5 favorite, through fractions of :24.67 and :48.71. Nudged at into the far turn, Shahama surged to the lead after three-quarters in 1:11.88 and bound away to an easy win. "We thought Brad Cox's horse [Juju's Map] would be on the lead and we would be sitting second...
Brad Cox joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to recap Cyberknife's victory in the GI Haskell and discuss his graded stakes entries for this weekend.
Fresh off his win in the GI Haskell S. with Cyberknife (Gun Runner), trainer Brad Cox joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday as the Green Group Guest of the Week. There was plenty to talk about as Cox's stable remains one of the hottest in the sport and he will send out GIII Ohio Derby winner Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga and 2021 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun (Into Mischief) in Saturday's GII San Diego H. at Del Mar....
OCEANPORT, NJ - Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife (Gun Runner) led home a one-two finish for his sire when he charged up the rail in deep stretch to nip Taiba (Gun Runner) on the line while setting a new track record in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park Saturday. The victory gave trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux their second winner from as many starters in the Haskell following Mandaloun (Into Mischief)'s win via disqualification in the 2021 renewal of the race and put an end to a...
Impressive GIII Sanford S. victor Mo Strike was the first Brad Cox-trained 2-year-old to make it to the winner's circle at Saratoga this year, but the son of Uncle Mo probably won't be the last. At last year's meet, Cox saddled five juveniles winners at the Spa, including the future multiple stakes-winning filly Bubble Rock (More Than Ready). In recent years, the Cox barn's arsenal of talented 2-year-olds has rapidly developed in terms of both quality and quantity. While many of the stable's runners have reached future success alongside their...
Nasser Bin Omairah's Mo Strike (Uncle Mo), winner of Saturday's GIII Sanford S., will likely make his next start in the Sept. 5 GI Hopeful S., trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday. "He's great and looks fantastic. I think the right thing to do, from a timing standpoint, is to look at the Hopeful and work our way back from there," Cox said Sunday. "I think we'll skip the [Aug. 13 GII] Saratoga Special, because it's asking a lot of him and this gives him more time. We brought him back...
by Stefanie Grimm & Patrycja Szpyra With the Fourth of July holiday weekend in the rear-view mirror, the summer turf season kicks into high gear starting with a pair of Grade I's at Belmont Park Saturday. The home team takes on a new wave of European challengers in the 1 1/4-mile GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational S., the first leg of the Caesars Turf Triple Series. Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb), last seen finishing ninth behind longshot GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice), finally gets back...