Cox juveniles sweep Sugar Bowl, Letellier Memorial

First Corona Bolt dazzled in the Sugar Bowl Stakes, and then Dazzling Blue bolted home in the Letellier Memorial.

The 2-year-olds, both trained by Brad Cox, had won debut sprints at Churchill Downs, and both ran their career mark to 2 for 2 with easy wins in sprint stakes Monday at Fair Grounds.

Each horse raced impressively, Florent Geroux riding both, rating his mounts on the lead before they kicked home strongly, though on raw times, Corona Bolt was the star. His winning time for six furlongs on a fast track was 1:09.96; Dazzling Blue, running a little more than an hour later, clocked 1:11.59. An open 2-year-old maiden contest between the two stakes went in 1:12.39. Older horse Surveillance won the Richard Scherer Memorial with six furlongs in 1:09.61 after the Letellier.

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Cox ended up one-two in the Sugar Bowl, though runner-up Distorted Pro inhabits a different class than Corona Bolt, a Florida-bred owned by Stonestreet Stables. Corona Bolt had stalked the pace while smartly winning his 6 1/2-furlong career debut at Churchill Downs by one length, but in the Sugar Bowl he made an early lead and dictated terms throughout. The first quarter mile went in 22.24, the half in 45.92 -- and then Corona Bolt really turned it on. Going his fifth furlong in an excellent 11.86 seconds, Corona Bolt blew the Sugar Bowl open and coasted to the wire with a final eighth in 12.18. Distorted Pro nosed out Toddchero for second. Corona Bolt paid $3 to win.

Talent is not a question, but this is the time of year everyone wants to know how far a fast young horse will run. Cox isn’t certain regarding this one and said last week he wanted at least to give the colt one more sprint race, the Sugar Bowl, before trying a route. Corona Bolt is by Bolt d’Oro, whose first crop made the races in 2022, and out of the Quiet American mare Stormbeforethecalm. The dam strictly was a sprinter during her racing career. Her first foal to race, Proven Strategies, won the Toronto Cup over one mile on turf.

Dazzling Blue might not have Corona Bolt’s raw speed, but on pedigree and considering the way she travels, the filly might be a more natural route prospect. Bred by WinStar Farm, Dazzling Blue was purchased at auction for $500,000 by Juddmonte Farms. She’s a daughter of Into Mischief and was produced by the route mare Blue Violet, a daughter of Curlin whose most successful foal to race was Sharecropper, a true route horse himself.

Dazzling Blue, facing soft competition, had made an easy lead before cruising to a comfortable debut sprint score Nov. 16 at Churchill, but on Monday, breaking from post 2, she was bumped by the rail horse, fell a couple lengths behind in the opening strides, and had to split rivals through the first half-furlong to make the front. The filly has an off switch and went easily through a half-mile in 46.45 before a host of pursuers ganged up on her and closed the gap in upper stretch.

“She was waiting on horses down the lane, but as soon as I asked her, I really like the way she finished,” said Geroux.

Indeed, Dazzling Blue ($3) began pulling away again while Geroux still was hand-riding, running straight and true along the inside on the way to a three-length victory. Condensation edged Miss Shipman and Twice As Sweet in a three-horse photo for second.

Dazzling Blue has some scope to her and a stride to suggest she at least out to get a mile. We’re soon likely to find out more in that area. “We’ll look to stretch her out a little bit,” Cox said. “Hopefully she can handle the two turns.”

The Cox 2-year-old sprinters easily handled their business Monday in New Orleans.

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