British Idiom romps in Alcibiades Stakes
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Even when something goes wrong for Brad Cox these days, it usually turns out right.
Cox had to scratch British Idiom last month from her second scheduled start in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs, forcing the trainer to wait for the Alcibiades Stakes.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” Cox said after British Idiom romped to a 6 1/2-length victory Friday in the 68th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Alcibiades, the opening-day feature of the Keeneland fall meet. “She had a little bug, nothing major, and I wasn’t happy with her bloodwork. So we just decided to wait a few weeks and see how she trained. She deserved a shot in here.”
With Javier Castellano aboard for the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades, British Idiom sat a nice off-pace trip before taking over for Spitefulness late in the far turn, then suddenly finding herself all alone for the stretch drive. The chestnut daughter of Flashback earned a Win and You’re In berth toward the Nov. 1 BC Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita, paying $9.20 as third choice in a field of 11 after finishing in 1:45.80 over a fast track.
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“She pulled a little bit, but I liked the way she did it on the backside,” said Castellano, who had won 43 Keeneland stakes in his Hall of Fame career, but never the Alcibiades. “I really liked the way she finished.”
Under mostly sunny skies, and before an ontrack crowd of 16,427, Spitefulness set fractions of 23.73 and 47.27 seconds before British Idiom got serious. Turning for home, Perfect Alibi, the 2-1 second choice, briefly loomed a threat, but soon the winner was long gone. Perfect Alibi easily held second by three lengths over late-running Alandra, the 2-1 favorite, with 36-1 shot Gone Glimmering another three lengths back in fourth.
British Idiom won her Aug. 15 debut, a six-furlong maiden race at Saratoga, and was actually entered in the $200,000 Pocahontas on Sept. 14 before the scratch. Under the circumstances, Cox was unsure just how the filly would perform Friday, but any trepidation was eased with her resounding score.
“If she comes out of this race in good shape, we’ll definitely point to California,” said Cox, who is enjoying yet another breakthrough season with nearly $12.5 million in stable earnings on the year.
The Kentucky-bred British Idiom, a $40,000 yearling purchase last October at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky, is owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, the Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables. That’s mostly the same group that owns Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018.
Mark Casse said Perfect Alibi, winner of the Adirondack and Spinaway in her two prior starts, likely also is headed to the BC Juvenile Fillies. “I think she’s earned the chance,” said Casse. “She sure didn’t embarrass us today.”
The $2 exacta (6-7) paid $30.20, the $1 trifecta (6-7-4) returned $43, and the 10-cent superfecta (6-7-4-1) was worth $40.81.
The biggest day of the 17-day meet is Saturday, when five graded stakes are part of an 11-race card.
