Cox ponders next moves for stakes-winning quartet
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – When Fionn won Saturday’s Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks, it gave trainer Brad Cox his sixth win and fourth stakes victory at Aqueduct in the first two weeks of November.
Fionn won the Jockey Club Oaks for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length over Laurelin, her sixth victory from eight starts in 2025. It may have earned her a start in the Grade 1, $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. A victory in the American Oaks could put Fionn in the conversation for the Eclipse Award in the female turf division.
So far in 2026, Fionn has won five stakes over five different courses. She set a Saratoga course record – 1:44.84 for 1 1/8 miles – in winning the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, nosing out Nitrogen, who is regarded as a leading contender for 3-year-old filly champion. A win in the American Oaks would give Fionn a second Grade 1 victory. The knock on her candidacy would be that she only has run against 3-year-olds.
As it stands, She Feels Pretty, who has two Grade 1 wins and two narrow defeats in two other Grade 1s, is the likely the leading contender for the female turf championship.
Fionn was expected to ship to Cox’s division at Payson Park in South Florida while he and his owners, George Messina and Michael Lee, decide what’s next for the daughter of Twirling Candy. Meanwhile, Bishops Bay, who won the Grade 3 Forty Niner Stakes at Aqueduct – part of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet – is on target for the Grade 2 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 6.
Bishops Bay is back at Cox’s Belmont Park barn after being purchased for $1.3. million by KAS Stables out of the Keeneland November horses of racing age sale. Cox had previously trained the horse for a partnership that included Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers, Martin Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, and WinStar Farm.
“Lucky to get him back, obviously. The goal is try to get to the Saudi Cup,” Cox said, referring to the $20 million race in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 14.
The Cigar Mile makes sense for Bishops Bay, as in addition to his victory in the Forty Niner, Bishops Bay won the Grade 3 Westchester, a one-mile race at Aqueduct in May. Others pointing to the Cigar Mile included Rated by Merit, Crazy Mason, and Phileas Fogg.
Disco Time, who on Nov. 8 won the Dwyer Stakes by 9 3/4 lengths, arrived at Payson Park on Sunday following a van ride from Belmont Park. Disco Time is being pointed to the Saudi Cup as well, though it has not yet been decided if will have a race beforehand.
Cox’s fourth stakes win here was with My World, who won the Nashua on Nov. 1. He is possible for the Remsen at Aqueduct on Dec. 6 or the $300,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Dec. 20.
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