Covfefe nearly touches track record in Breeders' Cup prep
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tuning up for her next start in the Breeders’ Cup, the star filly Covfefe nearly broke the Churchill Downs record for seven furlongs without even trying Saturday in an eight-length romp in the $125,000 Dogwood Stakes.
Covfefe never felt the sting of the whip when finishing in 1:20.51 over a fast track, coming within .07 seconds of the record set in 2012 by Groupie Doll, a two-time divisional champion.
“It wasn’t surprising,” said Brad Cox, who trains the 3-year-old Into Mischief filly for the LNJ Foxwoods of Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth. “She’s just such a special horse.”
Covfefe will race next in the Nov. 2 BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita. She now has won 5 of 7 starts, with two of her other victories being a six-furlong track record in the Miss Preakness in May and a hard-fought score in the Grade 1 Test in August.
Amid late-summer heat and under mostly sunny skies, Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard Covfefe when she broke cleanly from the outside post in a field of six 3-year-old fillies. After tracking Take Charge Angel intently, she took over at will, quickly spurting clear while Bridgmohan took a new cross and gave her a couple of easy shoulder taps. Seeing on the infield video board that he was comfortably ahead, Bridgmohan eased up in the final 70 yards.
“It’s pretty obvious she’s gotten better and stronger,” said Bridgmohan, who had ridden Covfefe in two prior races. “She’s an incredible talent.”
Cox has not committed to a jockey for the seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint. Javier Castellano rode her in the Miss Preakness and Joel Rosario in the Test.
Covfefe returned $2.40 to win. Bell’s the One was along for second, another 2 1/4 lengths before Free Cover, who was followed by Istan Council, Take Charge Angel, and Champagne Anyone.
Cox hand-picked the Dogwood for several reasons, including the timing between the Test (seven weeks) and the Filly and Mare Sprint (six weeks).
“It looks like we accomplished what we wanted,” he said. “Now it’s my job to keep her healthy and happy and get her to California in peak shape.”
The $2 exacta (6-1) paid $8.80, the $1 trifecta (6-1-3) returned $30.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (6-1-3-4) was worth $9.81.