Cohen family acquisitions Cotopaxi, Party Game go in Cecil B. DeMille

The second half of the year is typically a time of European acquisitions for Jed Cohen’s Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, operated by Cohen’s son Tim. The purchases tend to come in groups, in late summer and in the fall.

Sunday at Del Mar, Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal have both a summer purchase and a new buy in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf.

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Cotopaxi, third in the Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 4 in his second start in the United States, and Party Game, who arrived earlier this fall, are part of a field of 11 in the DeMille. Jeff Mullins trains the Irish-bred colts.

For the DeMille, the advantage goes to Cotopaxi, Tim Cohen said earlier this week.

“Cotopaxi has the benefit of a run in the U.S.,” Cohen said. “As the distances go longer, Party Game may go a little better.”

Party Game won an allowance race at Ayr, Scotland, in his second start, which was his first win. He was later second by a head in a minor handicap at seven furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse in England on Sept. 9, his final start in Great Britain.

In October, the Cohen family bought four race-ready prospects at a horses of racing age sale in Newmarket, England – Cider Apple, Evening Sun, Mahaamel, and Minsky.

“Normally, we have six,” Tim Cohen said. “It wasn’t for a lack of effort.”

They are prospects to start at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, which begins on Dec. 26.

Evening Sun, a winner of 1 of 7 starts, was bought for approximately $189,000, the most expensive of the four recent purchases. A 3-year-old, Evening Sun previously raced for the queen of England.

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Mahaamel is a maiden after three starts, while Cider Apple is winless in four starts. Minsky won a six-furlong allowance race at Yarmouth Racecourse in England in September in his third start.

Mark Glatt will train Minsky, while the other will go to Mullins, Tim Cohen said.

This year, the Cohen family had an export when the multiple graded stakes winner River Boyne was sent to Tara Stud in Ireland to begin a stud career in 2021. River Boyne was imported by the Cohens in late 2017. He won seven stakes, including the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita in March.

The Cohens also own Sharp Samurai, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 6 and is a candidate for the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, Glatt said on Friday.

◗ The two-time stakes winner Independence Hall worked five furlongs in 1:01 at Santa Anita on Friday for a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs there on Dec. 26.

Independence Hall won his California debut and first race for current trainer Michael McCarthy in an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 8. The allowance race was Independence Hall’s first start since a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March when trained by Michael Trombetta.