After long climb, Cox appreciates view from the top

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brad Cox was down, but not out. It was August 2012, and Cox was virtually empty-handed after 30 horses had been removed from his Churchill Downs stable by his main client at the time, Midwest Thoroughbreds.

“I never thought about doing something else with my life,” Cox recalled recently. “I’m a horse trainer. Quitting never crossed my mind.”

Six years later, that steely resolve has been a major factor in making Cox, 38, one of the most successful horsemen in North America. When the Breeders’ Cup is run Friday and Saturday at his hometown track of Churchill Downs, Cox will saddle four starters as he continues his rapid ascent up the American training hierarchy.

“Everything’s great now,” Cox said. “When I was down to practically nothing, I put a plan together and was pretty determined to one day have the kind of stable I have now. It’s taken a lot of really hard work, but it’s been worth it.”

:: Breeders' Cup PP packages: Get PPs, betting strategies, DRF+ Pro access, and more

Cox’s numbers have improved, by leaps and bounds, every year since 2013, when he won 42 races and less than $900,000 in purses. Into this week, Cox had 262 wins and more than $12 million in stable earnings, sixth-most among North American trainers. Both are already career highs, although he hopes to pad those stats this weekend.

“The goal is always to try to do a little better each year,” he said.

Foremost among his Breeders’ Cup runners is the 3-year-old Monomoy Girl, who has been the breakthrough horse he has long sought. Earlier this year, Monomoy Girl gave Cox his first wins in a Grade 1 race (Ashland) and the Kentucky Oaks, and a top performance Saturday in the $2 million BC Distaff could make her the first horse to earn an Eclipse Award for her trainer.

“She’s been so special,” Cox said. “We’ve had the Distaff on our radar for months now, knowing it was right here in our backyard. I think she’s set up for a really big race because I’ve got her as good now as she’s ever been. She certainly hasn’t regressed in any way. Hopefully, we’ll get a good trip because this will be the toughest race she’s ever been in.”

The other Cox starters in the Breeders’ Cup are Golden Mischief (Filly and Mare Sprint), Will Call (Turf Sprint), and Arklow (Turf). Golden Mischief, a last-out winner of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America, might rate the best chance of those three, and none is in without a prayer.

“Golden Mischief is really getting good at the right time,” he said. “This is a big ask for her, but we think a lot of her. Will Call is 2 for 2 on the Churchill turf, so we’ve got that going for us. Arklow has to run against Enable, but he’s a talented horse and as fit as can be. We’ll hope for the best with all of them.”

Cox grew up only a few blocks from Churchill. He went to nearby Iroquois High School and regularly attended the races from a young age in the company of his father, Jerry, who died in December 2016. Cox quickly became enamored with racing because of his innate love of animals and a deeply competitive nature.

Cox now can often be found in the company of one or more of his three sons – Bryson, 20, and Blake, 17, both of whom work part-time for him, and Brodie, 3. The older boys both are still in school but find their way to the track whenever they can.

“If I had to guess, I’d say they’ll both end up in the business,” Cox said.

Like many horsemen immersed as deeply in the game as Cox is, there is precious little time for anything other than tending to his horses. Cox said that might change for him at some point, but for now, he thrives on the constant action.

“It is very demanding,” he conceded. “You’ll go home to eat lunch, then the phone will ring or you’ll need to look something up or somebody will be needing information from you. Obviously, you need to stay on top of everything at all times.”

Last Saturday, in the immediate aftermath of Leofric racing to a hard-earned victory for Cox in the 1 1/8-mile Fayette Stakes at Keeneland, the trainer could barely contain his euphoria.

“Days like this, the Breeders’ Cup, all the big days – that’s what we’re in this for,” he said. “Hours and hours, months and months of planning go into this minute and 49 seconds. Winning gives you a feeling that you’ve got to experience to know what it’s like. And I tell you, it’s amazing.”