Cox not rushing to make plans for Covfefe

At the beginning of the year, trainer Brad Cox made the Test his goal for Covfefe and the daughter of Into Mischief achieved it Saturday, outfinishing the Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress to win the race Grade 1 fixture for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length.

Now, Cox said Sunday, he is in no hurry to come up with a plan for Covfefe’s next start.

“We put a lot into her to get ready for this race, I’m just going to take a deep breath, I’m going to let Covfefe take a deep breath,” Cox said. “This was the goal.”

Cox felt Covfefe benefitted from being on the outside of Serengeti Empress during a battle that began just before the quarter pole and lasted through the last quarter-mile.

“She had to dig in, had a great trip pressing as opposed to being pressed and she responded well,” Cox said. “She can get seven-eighths. We always thought she was a Grade 1 filly and she is now.”

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Cox said he will tentatively make the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 the late-season goal “and work our way back. We haven’t come up with a plan and we don’t have to finalize one.”

Covfefe, who earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98 for her win in the Test, will likely stay in Saratoga until Aug. 13. She is now 3 for 4 this year with an 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness on May 17 in which she set a Pimlico track record running seven furlongs in 1:07.70.

Tom Amoss said Serengeti Empress came out of the Test in good shape and she will be shipped to Churchill Downs later this week. Amoss said he would point Serengeti Empress to the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 21. The Cotillion, at 1 1/16 miles, is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.

“I think it’s a logical race,” Amoss said “It’s a Win and You’re In, carries a major purse and our horse’s versatility makes it an easy transition as well. The hope is we can use her speed as a weapon in this race.”