Cosmic comes on late to win King Cotton

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Cosmic, a son of the champion racemare Heavenly Prize, became a stakes winner Friday at Oaklawn, when he rolled up the rail for a one-length win over Chief of Affairs in the $50,000 King Cotton. It was another two lengths back in third to Agastache.

Cosmic ($11) trailed the field by many lengths early in the six furlong King Cotton, as Slater's Peanuts, Credit Only, and Chief of Affairs jumped out to the lead and dueled through an opening quarter-mile in 22.19 seconds. Cosmic continued to trail at the quarter pole, with the leaders going through a half-mile in 46.28 seconds, then put in a determined bid up the rail to catch Chief of Affairs nearing the wire. The winner covered the distance on a track rated good in 1:12.25.

"I was where I wanted to be early," said Calvin Borel, who rode Cosmic for his brother, trainer Cecil Borel. "I felt pretty good all the way, and I just let him run like a good horse when he was ready."

Hamazing Destiny, the favorite who finished fourth, did not handle the wet track, according to his trainer, D. Wayne Lukas.

Cosmic is a 5-year-old horse by El Prado. His dam's Grade 1 wins included the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn in 1995. Cosmic, who is a half-brother to graded stakes winners Good Reward and Pure Prize, races for Mary Grum.

Jonesboro was scratched from the King Cotton.