Brad Cox

The 2024 GI Spinaway Stakes was a tale of the haves and the have-nots. On one hand, there was just a single stakes winner in the field. But that runner, The Queens M G (Thousand Words), was looking to sweep the 2-year-old stakes on offer at Saratoga this season--a feat not commonly accomplished. Lined up to oppose her was a talented group of maiden winners led by 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (Malibu Moon) and Godolphin homebred Immersive (Nyquist). And of the 11 fillies lined up seeking Grade I glory, only...

1st-Kentucky Downs, $180,800, Msw, 8-31, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.60, fm, 2 1/4 lengths. DESTINO D'ORO (f, 2, Bolt d'Oro--Heart of Destiny {GISP, $242,089}, by Lion Heart), debuting at 8-1 in her first start since bringing $185,000 at OBS April earlier this year, found herself towards the back of the field after a slightly awkward beginning and was kept off the pace on the outside as Wonderland (Medaglia d'Oro) set speedy fractions of :23.06 and :46.01. Out in the center of the track around the far turn, she came roaring up...

In the GIII Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds over the grass at Saratoga on Friday afternoon, West Hollywood (Uncle Mo) was the winner, but the race was marred by the first racing fatality of the summer season as The Big Torpedo (Big Brown) had to be euthanized on the track, according to details provided by a release from NYRA. Owned by Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro and James Klein, The Big Torpedo (#5)--who was in the process of making every pole a winning one--sustained a catastrophic injury to his left front leg...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--There was a steady stream of people ambling over to trainer Kenny McPeek's barn at the Annex behind the Oklahoma Training Track Friday morning. They all wanted to send good thoughts to him and his 3-year-old filly, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), as Saturday's $1.25 million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course quickly approached. McPeek, standing outside his office with his canine companion Sonny at his side, accepted all the positive vibes. Some lucky ones were even able to secure a pink Thorpedo Anna baseball cap, which were...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Brad Cox said he was listening to a radio show a few days ago and his ears perked up when the chat got to the upcoming GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November. "They were talking about Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) and Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) being a good matchup, and I was like, 'wow, she is completely forgotten," trainer Brad Cox said outside his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. 'She' is Idiomatic (Curlin), and if anyone has put her...

2nd-Saratoga, $90,000, (S), Msw, 8-21, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.65, ft, 3 1/4 lengths. SACROSANCT (c, 2, Honest Mischief--Vibrato, by Unbridled's Song), the 8-5 favorite, strode home an easy 3 1/4-length victor of his debut at Saratoga Wednesday, becoming the first winner for his freshman sire (by Into Mischief). The bay colt rushed up to press the pace down the backstretch through an opening quarter in :22.58. He took over approaching the stretch as the half went up in :46.12 and was well in control despite drifting slightly down the lane. Skytown...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.   Sea Vista (c, 2, Street Sense--Sara Louise, by Malibu Moon) gained valuable racing experience in his unveiling, finishing second over a muddy, sealed track at Saratoga Aug. 3. The Godolphin homebred got the better of his Brad Cox-trained stablemate Immersive (f, 2, by Nyquist)--a smart debut winner earlier in the meet July 21--going four furlongs in :48 4/5 (40/118) at Churchill Downs July 27 and was one...

Fandom showed talent right from the start-winning by 6 3/4 lengths at Keeneland for Wesley Ward as a 2-year-old. A trip to Royal Ascot followed in the G2 Coventry Stakes but he weakened to 11th and went to the sidelines for nearly a year before coming off the bench back at Keeneland to take the Palisades Stakes Apr. 7. A barn change to Brad Cox after that start saw Fandom hit the board in the GIII Quick Call Stakes over course and distance July 14 and earned the son of...

GI Blue Grass Stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) returned to the work tab Sunday morning for trainer Chad Brown ahead of an expected next start in the GI DraftKings Travers Stakes Aug. 24. The $2.3m FTSAUG grad, last seen second to another 'Rising Star' and champion in Fierceness (City of Light) in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes July 27, covered a solo half mile in :49 flat over the Oklahoma training track. "He worked super," said Brown. "He's come out of his last race well...

8th-Ellis, $73,000, Alw, 8-10, (NW1X), 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:00.73, fm, 5 3/4 lengths. ELLEN JAY (f, 3, Constitution--Covfefe {Ch. Female Sprinter, Ch. 3-year-old Filly, MGISW, $1,110,025}, by Into Mischief) broke her maiden by a nose at third asking over the grass at Ellis Park July 15. The 2-1 favorite here was quickest out of the gate and she established a clear lead up the backstretch. With some competitors on her back around the far turn, the homebred was poised to accelerate spinning into the turn. Her turn of foot...

1st-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 12:35 p.m. ET. Debuting upstate is 2-year-old NANTZ (Tapit)--a $600,000 purchase during last year's Keeneland September Sale. Owned by partners Repole Stable, Spendthrift Farm, Big Easy Racing, Titletown Racing, Rick Kanter, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson, the Todd Pletcher trainee is the first foal for MSW Divine Queen (Divine Park). She's out of SW Town Queen (Williamstown), who also produced SW Queen's Award (Medaglia d'Oro) and the dam of MGSW The Player (Street Hero). Also set for his unveiling is Aviator Gui (Uncle...

Make that four in the row. Dragoon Guard (Arrogate), who just last time out won the GIII Indiana Derby, added another state's Derby to his resume Sunday night in taking the GIII West Virginia Derby in gate to wire fashion to stretch his win streak to four. Raced just once as a 2-year-old, the juvenile did well to finish second by a neck to SW Otto the Conquerer (Street Sense) at Churchill Downs during the September meet. Sidelined after that start, he returned as 3-year-old in April, breaking his maiden...