Australia: Cosmic Crusader favored in P.B. Lawrence

In the last two years, the New Zealand-bred gelding Cosmic Crusader has won 7 of 10 starts at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. The versatile record has made Cosmic Crusader the favorite in Saturday’s Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.

The Lawrence Stakes is part of a late winter Southern Hemisphere campaign designed to have Cosmic Crusader ready for the Group 1 Cox Plate at about 1 1/4 miles on Oct. 24. This year, the Cox Plate has been moved from its traditional venue at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne to nearby Flemington Racecourse. Moonee Valley is undergoing a massive renovation.

As of Wednesday, Cosmic Crusader was 33-1 in future-book betting for the Cox Plate. The price could change with a successful race in the Lawrence Stakes.

Cosmic Crusader, a winner of 9 of 18 career starts, returned from a layoff of more than seven months to win the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at six furlongs at Caulfield on July 25, his first start for current trainer Andrea Leek.

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The Bletchingly Stakes was Cosmic Crusader’s first start at a Melbourne-area track. He was previously based at tracks in Perth, in Western Australia. Last December at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Cosmic Crusader won the most prestigious race of his career in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

The Cox Plate, by comparison, is Australia’s leading weight-for-age race at about 1 1/4 miles.
Cosmic Crusader has also been mentioned as a contender for the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield on Aug. 29.

In the Lawrence, which drew a field of 13, Cosmic Crusader will start from post 8, which should aid his closing style. Private Eye and Evaporate, first and fifth in the 2025 Lawrence, are two other runners in Saturday’s race held in high regard.

Private Eye, a 9-year-old gelding who will have his 53rd start on Saturday, tends to stalk the pace. He was fifth by two lengths in a field of 18 in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane in his last start in June. The Stradbroke Handicap at seven furlongs is annually one of Australia’s toughest sprints.

Evaporate, who is quick enough to lead, is winless in seven starts since the Group 3 Sand Stakes at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne last September. All of the losses have been in major stakes. Evaporate was ninth of 16 in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile Handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, one of Australia’s most competitive mile races.

The Lawrence Stakes has a post time of 2 a.m. Eastern on Saturday.

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