Brad Cox

Saturday Insights: Pricey Quality Road Filly Makes The Races Under Twin Spires

6th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 3:18 p.m. ET. PRIDES CROSSING (Quality Road) was the seventh highest priced yearling when the filly went to OXO Equine for $1.3-million during the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. The Paulo Lobo trainee is out of Irish SW Key To My Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who Summer Wind Equine acquired for $1.75-million at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale while Man Among Men (War Front) was in-utero. Hailing from a well-related family, the first time starter's second dam is GISW A Z Warrior (Bernardini). Also on...

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Baffert Camp Returns in Force to Pimlico

BALTIMORE, MD -- He's baaack. The truth of the matter, trainer Bob Baffert never really went away. The Hall of Famer's omnipresent influence--be it through his runners or the offspring of the stallions he helped mold--can be felt everywhere, regardless of whether the man shows up or not. Conspicuous in his absence at Churchill Downs two weeks ago, Baffert did make his first appearance on the Pimlico backstretch Friday morning, surrounded by a rockstar-caliber entourage, including his kids and his wife Jill, in addition to SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan and...

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TDN Preakness Preview: Muth's Scratch Plays In Favor of Derby Hero Mystik Dan

The field for the GI Preakness S., ranked in "likeliest winner" order: 1) MYSTIK DAN (c, Goldencents--Ma'am, by Colonel John). O/B-Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, 4G Racing, LLC, & Valley View Farm LLC (Ky); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-3-1-1, $3,650,050. Last start: WON May 4 GI Kentucky Derby. The Derby champ will go favored in the Preakness on Saturday after the scratch of 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic). This son of Goldencents upset the first leg of the Triple Crown at 18-1 odds. In the last three Derbies,...

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By Way of Kazakhstan, Group 1-Winning Son of California Chrome Sent to Brad Cox

Kabirkhan (California Chrome), who won his first three starts in Kazakhstan on his way to winning the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge in Dubai, has been sent to the U.S. and will be trained by Brad Cox. Kabirkhan was purchased at the 2021 Keeneland September sale for $12,000 by agent Nadir Khassanov and was then shipped to Kazakhstan, which has just one racetrack and a horse population of about 300. Running at Almaty Hippodrome, he broke his maiden in a three-horse race after breaking slowly. For owner Tlek Mukanbetkaliyev, the chestnut...

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Muth Favored To Give Baffert A Ninth Win In the Preakness

In the few days after Mystik Dan (Goldencents) pulled an 18-1 upset in the GI Kentucky Derby, there was the real possibility that none of the 20 horses that competed in the first leg of the Triple Crown would press on to Saturday's GI Preakness S. By Sunday afternoon, any such concerns had abated--the Derby winner had been confirmed by trainer Ken McPeek and Derby fourth Catching Freedom (Constitution) was also given the green light by Brad Cox, joining a field that had already included two each from Hall of...

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Half-Brother To Pizza Bianca Makes U.S. Debut A Winning One At Churchill

5th-Churchill Downs, $121,125, Msw, 5-10, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:50.43, fm, 4 lengths. WEST HOLLYWOOD (c, 3, Uncle Mo--White Hot {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) began his career in Roger Varian's yard where he debuted in fourth place over the Polytrack at Kempton Park in early January. Making the switch stateside to Brad Cox, the dark bay with Lasix was a 7-2 shot here. The 3-year-old broke quickly and settled in behind the pacesetter heading into the first turn. Raring to take on the frontrunner, the colt was let loose around the...

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Saturday Insights: Champion Covfefe's First To Race Unveiled At Churchill Downs

11th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2f, 5:58 p.m. ET. LNJ Foxwoods campaigned champion female sprinter Covfefe (Into Mischief), whose first registered foal ELLEN JAY (Constitution)--also trained by Brad Cox--will bear the gold and royal blue colors for her unveiling under the Twin Spires. A half-sister to Japanese multiple group stakes winner Albiano (Harlan's Holiday), Covfefe is also responsible for 2-year-old colt in-training Rothko (Tapit) and she has a new filly on the ground by Gun Runner. TJCIS PPS 3rd-BAQ, $75K, Msw, (S), 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34 p.m. ET. Gold Square...

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Catching Freedom 'Under Consideration' For Preakness

Albaugh Family Stable's Catching Freedom (Constitution) is being considered for a start in the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico a week from Saturday, Jason Loutsch, co-owner and racing manager for the operation, told the Pimlico media office. Settled far off the strong early pace of the GI Kentucky Derby by Flavien Prat, the $575,000 Keeneland September yearling made a long run into contention, sneaking through inside in upper stretch before staying on into fourth, beaten two lengths behind the three-horse photo. Loutsch said the GII Louisiana Derby winner, trained by...

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First Mission Headed To Stephen Foster

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense), impressive winner of the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs May 3, will take the next logical step in the $1-million GI Stephen Foster S. beneath the Twin Spires Saturday, June 29. "He ran a huge race," trainer Brad Cox told the Churchill media office. "We're very proud of his effort, Down the lane, it seemed like he was getting stronger as he got closer to the wire." Favored at just over even-money in the 8 1/2-furlong Alysheba, the homebred sat handy...

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'Rising Star' Almostgone Rocket Continues To Roll In Second Start

12th-Churchill Downs, $125,885, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 5-3, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:16.08, sy, 4 1/4 lengths. ALMOSTGONE ROCKET (f, 3, Into Mischief--Bound {MSW, $419,174}, by Jump Start) became a 'TDN Rising Star' off her 11 3/4-length thrashing of the field in her Oaklawn debut Apr. 5. Adding just a half-furlong here, the 2-1 favorite sat just off the frontrunners as Mink's Palace (Palace Malice) led through fractions of :22.75 and :45.96. Once given her head, the filly unleashed a wide bid around the turn, swept right on past that...

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Ready For Some Magic In Derby 150

LOUISVILLE, KY -- Weeks and months of preparation, with a healthy dose of good luck, are complete. A full field of 20 will line up for the 150th anniversary renewal of the GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Much of the pre-race hype has revolved around the defending juvenile champion Fierceness (City of Light). A runaway winner in the GI Florida Derby in his latest start, the 'TDN Rising Star' has been training like a beast, signaling he is ready to do big things come Derby day. His trainer, Todd...

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'Rising Star' First Mission Splashes Home First in Alysheba

LOUISVILLE, KY-Offering a preview of what may be to come in Churchill's next two day's Classics, 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) continued a power-charged run for trainer Brad Cox when taking the GIII Alysheba S. The win was the second graded win of the afternoon for Cox, who also took the La Troienne S. with Idiomatic (Curlin), and it was the third straight win for jockey Florent Geroux, who also won with Idiomatic and Ova Charged (Star Guitar) in the GIII Unbridled Sidney S. T O Saint Denis...

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