Cox's great season continues with Arklow in Kentucky Turf Cup

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Mike Maker has been going great guns as usual at Kentucky Downs, but Brad Cox – who’s having another career year – one-upped him Saturday when he sent out the victorious Arklow in the Grade 3, $746,500 Kentucky Turf Cup on a record-setting day at this turf-only track.

“It’s been a great year,” Cox, who has been in the top 10 all year in the North American trainer standings for stable earnings, said by phone late Saturday after prospecting yearlings at Keeneland.

Helped in no small part by a terrific ride from Florent Geroux, Arklow was along in time to defeat the Maker duo of Soglio and Bigger Picture when finishing the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:30.56 over firm going. Maker, the all-time leading trainer here, had won with seven of his first 14 starters at this abbreviated meet and sent out the second through fifth finishers in the Turf Cup.

Arklow, a Kentucky-bred Arch colt owned by the partnership of Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway, returned $15.80 as fourth choice in a field of 12 older horses.

Arklow earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

The Turf Cup, the annual meet showcase of a five-day meet, was the last of 10 races on a card that smashed the former record for all-sources handle at Kentucky Downs. The handle was $10,039,008, easily surpassing the prior mark of nearly $8.5 million set on Kentucky Turf Cup Day last year.

On an overcast, muggy day, Arklow raced in midpack for most of the 27th Turf Cup before splitting rivals at the quarter-pole to suddenly emerge as a major threat. Down the stretch, with Geroux going to a rhythmic left hand, the colt surged past Soglio before holding off a last-gasp run by Bigger Picture to prevail by a half-length. Soglio was another neck back in third, with Bronson, a 77-1 shot, finishing fourth for Maker. The only other Maker trainee, Oscar Nominated, finished fifth as the 2-1 favorite and as the defending Turf Cup champion.

Arklow, 4, earned $432,450 when more than doubling his bankroll to $853,382 with his second graded stakes triumph, following the Grade 2 American Turf on the 2017 Kentucky Derby undercard at Cox’s home base, Churchill Downs. The colt now likely will be pointed to the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill, said Cox.

“He’s the type of horse we’d thought all along could be better at 4 or 5,” Cox said. “He’d trained really well for this.

“I talked to Florent after the race and he said the horse just didn’t really want to be involved early. He did a good job saving ground and gave him a great trip. He said it’s almost like it took the horse halfway through the race to warm up and jump on the bridle. And he responded well, and he can definitely handle the mile and a half. It’s only the second time we’ve tried it.”

With the victory, Cox surpassed the $10 million mark for stable earnings this year. He entered the day sixth in that category among all North American trainers.

“We’ve got a great staff, four great assistants, and clients that give us great opportunities, which is what it all comes down to,” said Cox, whose stable earned less than $1 million just five years ago. “I’m really grateful to everyone involved.”

The $2 exacta (8-4) paid $101.40, the $1 trifecta (8-4-9) returned $595, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-4-9-1) was worth $759.42.