Brad Cox

Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice), whose win in the GII Risen Star S. signaled that he was a major threat for the GI Kentucky Derby, has suffered a mild injury and won't return to the races until this summer. "He came out of a gallop two days ago with some heat in his ankle," trainer Brad Cox said. "We took some x-rays and found that there was some roughening in the P1 (first phalanx) area. He'll need 60 days off and is on his way to WinStar to recuperate. He is...

LNJ Foxwoods's Covfefe (Into Mischief--Antics, by Unbridled), who last month was named champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter at the Eclipse Awards, has been retired from racing and will be bred to boom sire Constitution for the upcoming breeding season. She will reside at Gainesway Farm. Bred in Kentucky by Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds, Covfefe was a $250,000 purchase out of the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale by Alex Solis II and Jason Litt of Solis/Litt Bloodstock on behalf of Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth of LNJ Foxwoods. Turned over to...

While the GI Kentucky Oaks will always be overshadowed by the GI Kentucky Derby, this year's Oaks has nothing to apologize for. Through the early round of prep races, it appears that the 2020 Oaks will include one of the deepest and most talented lineups in the race's history. That's still the case after the tragic loss of Taraz (Into Mischief), who had to be euthanized after suffering an injury in a workout Monday at Oaklawn Park. The early round of preps have produced some outstanding performances and several top...

The Week in Review, by T.D. Thornton When you think of the Fair Grounds and its series of GI Kentucky Derby preps, it's easy to conjure up images of stamina-centric closers who can stay all day. The track's imposing 1,346-foot home stretch--for decades billed as the longest in North America, until the reconfigured Los Alamitos surpassed it by 34 feet in 2014--is the primary reason. The other, which is new this year, is the elongated change in distance for the three races in the Fair Grounds' January-March prep series. Most...

Sent off a generous 7-1, Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) secured an easy lead, set incredibly steady fractions up front and pulled away late to easily defeat GIII Lecomte S. hero Enforceable (Tapit) in the first of two divisions of the GII Risen Star S. Saturday afternoon at the Fair Grounds. Silver State (Hard Spun), who completed the exacta behind Enforceable last time, rounded out the trifecta. Drawn gate nine and looking to improve on his useful third-place effort in the Lecomte, Mr. Monomoy hit the ground running and dropped down...

Undefeated British Idiom (Flashback), recently crowned champion 2-year-old filly of 2019, will make her sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds, where she'll meet Finite (Munnings), winner of four straight, and five other rivals in the 1 1/16-mile test. Bought for $40,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling, the chestnut debuted in a maiden race at Saratoga restricted to purchases of $45,000 or less and posted a 3 1/2-length pace-pressing success. Shipped to Keeneland and stretched out to two turns, she blew away her competition to the...

George Hall's Max Player (Honor Code) exited his victory in Saturday's GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct in fine shape and will likely make his next appearance in the Apr. 4 GII Wood Memorial. Sent to post at odds of 5-1, Max Player was in tight and taking significant kickback into the first turn before jockey Dylan Davis angled him outside for smoother sailing. Settled wide in fifth, he grinded his way into contention through the final turn and found his best stride late to put away GII Remsen S. winner...

Taraz earned the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker after romping by 7 1/2 lengths in her Churchill Downs unveiling Nov. 14 and made good on that initial promise with an 11 1/4-length tour de force in the Letellier Memorial S. in the slop at the Fair Grounds Dec. 21. Heavily favored to continue her hot streak in this sophomore bow, the Juddmonte homebred went straight to the front, cruising through early splits of :23.44 and :47.50. Still just cantering along as she turned for home in front, Taraz sauntered home to...

Modestly bred, British Idiom (Flashback) brought only $40,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling in 2018, but by the time she debuted at Saratoga in August, the chestnut had attracted powerhouse connections in Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables and trainer Brad Cox. Backed to narrow favoritism in that six-furlong career bow, she pressed the pace and drew off to a 3 1/2-length score. Adding Lasix and stretching out to two turns in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. Oct. 4 at Keeneland, she was a powerful victress,...

The comeback of Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) will enter a new phase next week when the Eclipse Award-winning mare returns to the racetrack. Trainer Brad Cox said Monomoy Girl will be sent shortly to his stable at the Fair Grounds on or about Jan. 15. Her appearance at the Fair Grounds will mark a major step forward for a horse that has not raced since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 3, 2018. The connections had planned on running her in 2019, but a couple of relatively small problems...

Grade I-winner Arklow (Arch) is expected to make his start in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25 followed by the Mar. 28 G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan, confirmed Donegal Racing founder Jerry Crawford. A graded stakes winner in 2017 and 2018, the bay recorded his most significant career score in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont in October. Luis Saez will ride the 6-year-old in the Pegasus Turf. "We're excited about the opportunity to run in the Pegasus Turf," said Cox,...

For several weeks, astute racing fans had tabbed Saturday's GI Longines Test S. as one of the potential highlights of the Saratoga meeting. Often times, the bark is bigger than the bite, but this particular renewal lived up to the considerable hype, as Covfefe (Into Mischief) and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (Alternation) hooked up early on and never let the other out of their sights. At the conclusion of 71 seconds and change, Covfefe won the battle and the war, decisioning a very game Serengeti Empress by a hard-fought...