By Steve Sherack
With the road to the 2025 GI Kentucky Oaks officially underway, Brad Cox already trains arguably the top two juvenile fillies in the country. After this weekend, he may even have the third.
'TDN Rising Star' Muhimma (Munnings), a press-and-pounce winner of her first two starts by a combined margin of 13 jaw-dropping lengths at Churchill Downs, will make her two-turn and stakes debut for Cox in Saturday's GII Demoiselle Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct. A $700,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Shadwell Stable, the rail-drawn gray has been tabbed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 10.
“I felt like this race, if she's gonna be able to handle two turns and 1 1/8 miles moving forward, this is a great introduction to that opportunity of two turns,” Cox said from the Big A Friday.
The very successful Coolmore stallion Munnings, a son of champion sprinter and leading sire Speightstown, is responsible for 28 graded/group winners worldwide, including the Cox-trained trio of Bonny South, Warrior's Charge and Zozos.
Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm, Muhimma is the second foal out of Princesa Carolina (Tapit), a winner of the Dueling Grounds Oaks going 1 5/16 miles over the lawn at Kentucky Downs. Muhimma's very talented and versatile second dam Pure Clan (Pure Prize) won the GI American Oaks and GI Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes, both on grass. She also won a pair of graded races on dirt and was third in the 2008 Kentucky Oaks.
Like Muhimma, the aforementioned Bonny South, a two-time graded winner and multiple Grade I-placed runner around two turns, is also out of a Tapit mare. The Munnings x Tapit cross has also yielded GII Golden Rod Stakes and Rachel Alexandra Stakes winner Finite.
“There's a lot of power there, and a lot of Tapit influence that gives me the confidence that she can get the distance,” Cox said. “She's smart and she's forward enough, but not like over the top that would make you think that she'd want to pull too much. We're hopeful that she does it. She's giving me a lot of confidence to think that she'll be able to handle the 1 1/8 miles.”
Muhimma earned a field-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure as the 4-5 chalk on debut Sept. 20, then defeated the re-opposing GSP Liam in the Dust (Liam's Map) by a geared-down 5 1/2 lengths going seven furlongs in an optional claimer beneath the Twin Spires Nov. 1. She tuned up for the Demoiselle with a five- furlong breeze in 1:01 1/5 (2/15) at Churchill Downs Nov. 29.
“A filly with a future…”
ICYMI: A dazzling win by #3 MUHIMMA at @ChurchillDowns today. @flothejock up for @bradcoxracing on the daughter of @coolmoreamerica Munnings. pic.twitter.com/blaCbT4DNS
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 2, 2024
“It's hard to say how good she could be,” Cox said. “She's been very good from the start. She came to us from Ocala and they thought a lot of her. As soon as she started breezing, you could tell there was talent there. It's up to us to manage and develop her properly and bring her along at the right pace.”
Cox has certainly done just that with the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and soon-to-be crowned champion 2-year-old filly Immersive (Nyquist) as well as last weekend's GII Golden Rod Stakes winner Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro). The unbeaten Godolphin homebreds are currently in first and second place on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 40 and 20 points, respectively. Cox has won the Oaks twice with Monomoy Girl (2018) and Shedaresthedevil (2020).
“Look, they've been great 2-year-old fillies and now it's our job to transfer that form over to three,” Cox said. “Haven't come up with a plan yet on how we'll try to attempt to get to the Kentucky Oaks. They're both four-for-four in 2024 and we'll start planning out a 2025 campaign in the next month or so.”
He continued, “We gave Immersive a little break there after the Breeders' Cup. She went to Jonabell for a few weeks and just relaxed for a little bit. She shipped down to the Fair Grounds and has been tack-walking the last couple of days. Good Cheer shipped to Payson–we're gonna give her the opportunity to be turned out and backed off of a little bit through the month of December.”
Cox added, “Very proud of what they've accomplished and excited about what lies ahead.”
Brad Cox | Sarah Andrew
For good measure, Cox also unveiled Juddmonte homebred Chasten (Into Mischief), a 2-year-old half-sister to his recently retired champion Idiomatic (Curlin), to a 'TDN Rising Star' performance on debut going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on the Golden Rod undercard.
“I think we're gonna see the best of her around two turns,” Cox said. “She showed up in her first race and really didn't kick it into gear until the last eighth of a mile. I'd like a first-level allowance at the Fair Grounds or Oaklawn to continue to develop her. I do think she has a big future. She does remind me a good bit of Idiomatic, and, look, if she's half as good, we'll be fine.”
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