Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Cox undaunted by Caravel's second in Franklin Stakes
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Despite finishing second as a heavy favorite on Sunday in the Franklin Stakes at Keeneland, Caravel will ship to Santa Anita late this month with designs on a repeat victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Caravel’s intended participation brings to eight the number of trainer Brad Cox’s expected Breeders’ Cup starters, just one fewer than the number of Breeders’ Cup winners he has sent out from a mere 31 starters, an exceptional strike rate in races as competitive as these.
Cox on Sunday said that Saudi Crown, winner of the Pennsylvania Derby and an excellent loser of the Jim Dandy and the Dwyer this summer, is a likely participant in the BC Classic. Saudi Crown might more naturally be a seven- to nine-furlong type horse, but he has been running fast enough to merit a spot in the Classic rather than the Dirt Mile.
Cox has Zozos for the Dirt Mile and expects to have three runners in the Distaff. Idiomatic, who could be the Distaff favorite on the strength of wins in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland, will be joined in the 1 1/8-mile contest by Wet Paint and A Mo Reay.
Wet Paint in her last two starts won the Coaching Club American Oaks and was a well-beaten second behind Distaff hopeful Randomized in the Alabama. A Mo Reay was a distant second to Randomized in the Beldame on Oct. 8 in New York but did win the Grade 1 Beholder Mile in a trip to Santa Anita earlier this year.
Timberlake will be among the shorter prices in the Juvenile after winning the Grade 1 Champagne in his most recent outing, while Cox intends to run Matareya in the Filly and Mare Sprint. All Cox horses will have their final Breeders’ Cup workout at Churchill Downs before flying to California on Oct. 30.
First Mission won’t be racing in the Breeders’ Cup this year, but a race like the Grade 1 Clark could be on his agenda after the 3-year-old colt won a second-level allowance race by a neck in the 10th race Saturday at Keeneland.
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First Mission was racing for the first time since he won the Lexington Stakes in April and had a traffic-filled, wide trip after breaking from post 1 in a 1 1/16-mile dirt race. He appeared to be in dire straits at the quarter pole, but once jockey Luis Saez guided his mount to clear sailing in the homestretch, First Mission asserted his class and quickly ran down overmatched rivals.
“He’s a lightly raced horse running against a lot of seasoned horses, and I thought it was a good education,” Cox said.
First Mission might have started favored in the Preakness Stakes but was scratched by race veterinarians the Thursday night before the Saturday race.
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