Cox 3-year-olds continue down road to Kentucky Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Horses trained by Brad Cox locked up the second- and third-place spots in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes on Monday at Oaklawn, with Wells Bayou earning 4 Kentucky Derby points for his runner-up finish and Answer In earning 2.

Silver Prospector moved past Wells Bayou in the later stages for a length win. Wells Bayou was making his stakes debut. He earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He ran huge,” Cox said Tuesday. “He set a strong pace and continued to run well down the lane and finished well. I do think he’ll move forward off that.”

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Cox said Wells Bayou is being pointed for the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel on March 14 at Oaklawn. The son of Lookin At Lucky races for Lance Gasaway and Clint Gasaway.

Answer In went off as the favorite in the Southwest, which was his first start since finishing second by a head in the $400,000 Springboard Mile on Dec. 15 at Remington Park. In the Southwest, he prompted the pace after breaking from post 9 and was beaten six and a half lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.

“He had a little bit of a rough trip,” Cox said. “He didn’t settle the way I would have liked to have seen. We’ll work with him, getting him to relax. It was a good race. He had a wide trip and stayed on, which was a positive.

“We’ll look at the Rebel and other spots as well,” said Cox. “I don’t really know what those are yet.”

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Answer In is a son of Dialed In who races for Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables.

Madaket also is a co-owner of Something Natural, who will be considered for the Grade 3, $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 14 at Turfway Park, said Cox. Something Natural won an allowance route Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, one start after running second to Wells Bayou at the same level at Oaklawn.

Something Natural is a son of Violence who also is owned by Kent Spellman and Tenstrike Racing.