Cocked and Loaded rebounded in a big way in this 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
A smart debut winner at Keeneland's spring meet for Blue Checker Thoroughbreds LLC and trainer John Hancock, Cocked and Loaded provided instant dividends for his new connections, scoring in style in Belmont's Tremont S. June 5. However, things didn't go quite as smooth in his next two starts. Sixth as the 2-1 favorite in the GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga July 25, he entered off a fifth-place finish as the 6-5 chalk in the GIII Arlington-Washington Futurity over the all-weather Aug. 22.
He was a bit overlooked at the windows here while making his two-turn debut in this return to dirt. The bay bided his time in a perfect spot in third well behind a heated duel between two rivals through testing fractions of :22.69 and :46.29. Taking over with a bold run on the far turn as those rivals came up wanting, Cocked and Loaded kicked for home with a clear advantage and kept finding down the lane beneath Manny Esquivel to deliver in stakes-record time.
“I wanted to run at home, and I always figured he could run long,” trainer Larry Rivelli said. “He's such a cool horse. He rates and has a good stride. When he ran on the Poly we were scratching our head wondering what was wrong with him, but he just didn't like the synthetic surface. He trains well on it; he just can't run on it. That's why I trained him on the turf going into this race.”
Rivelli continued, “Today he made that move at the three-sixteenth pole and he was just galloping. We've always liked this horse a lot and people were down on him because of his last race, but he just can't handle the Polytrack. I've always thought the world of him; I think he's a real special horse. He has a great mind. He handles everything with stride.”
As for what's next, he said, “Hopefully we'll dance the big dance if he's healthy. We'll train straight up to the [Breeders' Cup Juvenile]. No concern with the two turns because of the way the horse is. He's got twice the size of his body stride.”
Esquivel said, “It feels great, I couldn't ask for anything better than this. I was a little worried there at the beginning, since I'm new here and everything. I broke out and I wanted to be close to the lead without really forcing him, and on the backside he was kind of laying off a little; nothing bad but at the half-mile pole I got to the ones in front pretty easily and when I just pushed him a little he took off with me and at that point I didn't want to try to take him back again, I just wanted to keep on going. We felt comfortable turning for home so he ran huge.”
Cocked and Loaded is the first foal from the unraced Malibu Moon mare Catch the Moon. She has a yearling colt by Tale of Ekati and was bred to Shanghai Bobby this spring.
Click here for more about Cocked and Loaded and his private acquisition.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
IROQUOIS S.-GIII, $150,000, CD, 9-12, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.94, ft.
1–@COCKED AND LOADED, 120, c, 2, by Colonel John
1st Dam: Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Catch My Fancy, by Yes It's True
3rd Dam: Walk Away Rene, by Gold Alert
($16,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Richard Ravin &
Patricia's Hope LLC; B-Bob Austin & John Witte (KY);
T-Larry Rivelli; J-Emmanuel Esquivel. $87,420.
Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $250,840. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Rated R Superstar, 118, c, 2, Kodiak Kowboy–
Wicked Wish, by Gold Case. O-Radar Racing LLC;
B-ThornDale Stable LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek.
$28,200.
3–Unbridled Outlaw, 118, c, 2, Unbridled's Song–
Letgomyecho, by Menifee. ($330,000 Ylg '14
KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stable;
B-Betz/Blackburn/J. Betz/Ramsby/CNHHNK (KY);
T-Dale L. Romans. $14,100.
Margins: 2, 1, 1. Odds: 9.50, 11.50, 3.20.
Also Ran: Conquest Windycity, Baychimo, Star Hill, Meeteetse Fly, Twirling Cinnamon, Missle Bomb, Condominium, Expected Ruler. Scratched: Dothat Dance. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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