Cox, Hernandez get off to hot starts at Ellis Park meet

Trainer Brad Cox and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. opened the Ellis meet with hot hands, taking the early leads in their respective categories.

Cox won with 5 of 10 starters on the first four cards to quickly open daylight on a four-way tie for second. Meanwhile, Hernandez, also with five wins, used a four-win Friday in taking a slight lead over Florent Geroux, who has four victories. Geroux will be riding regularly at Ellis when not otherwise committed elsewhere.

◗ Apprentice Andrea Rodriguez won with her first Ellis mount when Artie’s Lady was up by a head at a $24.80 mutuel in the second race Saturday. Rodriguez, a 23-year-old Puerto Rico native riding with a seven-pound allowance, works primarily as an exercise rider for Ian Wilkes and has 14 prior wins at other tracks.