Cox regroups after mixed results at Breeders' Cup

By his standards, Brad Cox didn’t crush the 2023 Breeders’ Cup. He sent out Idiomatic, sure to be champion older female, to win the Distaff, but Cox’s other runners last weekend at Santa Anita failed to land a blow. Timberlake was a decent fourth in the Juvenile, but Zozos finished a flat fifth in the Dirt Mile, Wet Paint was eighth in the Distaff, and Matareya eighth in the Filly and Mare Sprint, while Caravel (Turf Sprint) and Saudi Crown (Classic) both checked in 10th.

Don’t worry too much about Cox. It’s not if but when his stable roars back to life.

As for the Breeders’ Cup horses, 4-year-old Idiomatic has gone to the farm but might not be gone from racing. Cox on Tuesday said owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms hadn’t decided whether to race or breed Idiomatic in 2024. Idiomatic, a likely Horse of the Year finalist, ended her campaign with five wins in a row, capturing the Grade 3 Shawnee, Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, and then three Grade 1s – the Personal Ensign, Spinster, and Distaff.

Saudi Crown, exiting a win in the Pennsylvania Derby, tracked the Classic pace but came up empty the last three furlongs, finishing almost 13 lengths behind victorious White Abarrio. Saudi Crown could get another crack at White Abarrio early next year, with both horses possible for the Saudi Cup. Poor performance notwithstanding, Saudi Crown came out of the Classic in good condition, Cox said, with connections yet to determine whether the 3-year-old will make a start before the Saudi Cup in February.

Wet Paint will return for a 4-year-old campaign after a freshening, Cox said, while Grade 1 Champagne Stakes winner Timberlake also will be freshened before joining Cox’s string at Fair Grounds, his 2024 debut yet to be determined.

“He ran all right, but we didn’t get the result we were looking for,” Cox said of Timberlake.

At Churchill last weekend, Cox sent out a 3-year-old, Mullion, whom he thought might have been his best 2-year-old of 2022. Mullion needed ample time away from the races, however, after finishing second by a nose in August 2022, only returning to action Nov. 5, when he won a Churchill maiden dirt mile by 10 lengths, geared down, while earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. Cox mentioned the Malibu at Santa Anita as a potential late-season goal for Mullion, a full brother to Mandaloun, but sounded more inclined to take a patient approach and aim for 2024 stakes races.

Cox, of course, will be in stakes action later this month at Churchill. First Mission, who won a Keeneland allowance race last month in his first start since landing the Lexington Stakes in April, will race in the Clark Stakes. West Sunset, who dominated the Rags to Riches on Oct. 21 at Churchill, is a potential runner in the Golden Rod for 2-year-old fillies, while sharp Keeneland maiden winner Air of Defiance, who was second to BC Juvenile hero Fierceness in their common Saratoga debut, could run in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.

Allowances top Friday card

Friday’s featured eighth race, a second-level turf route allowance with an $80,000 claiming option, drew a modest field but is bookended by first-level dirt allowance races with some promising entrants.

Race 7, for 2-year-old fillies, has a $100,000 claiming option, is carded for one mile, and drew seven entrants, including two live chances from the Kenny McPeek barn. Ice Cold, by Mitole, was only facing Indiana-breds in her most recent race, but won the Miss Indiana Stakes, a dirt route, by 10 lengths with an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. She might not have anything on her McPeek-trained stablemate Thorpedo Anna, who debuted Oct. 26 at Keeneland with an eye-catching seven-furlong victory in a restricted maiden race.

Among the fillies in race 8, which is carded for six furlongs, is Bandita, who hasn’t started since posting a 91 Beyer in her career debut Jan. 29 in a Gulfstream maiden sprint. Bandita was entered at Keeneland last month and scratched from a similar spot, but shows timed workouts Oct. 25 and Nov. 2.

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