Ezmosh looks to rebound in Spendthrift Juvenile Stallion

Ezmosh ran so well in winning a maiden race at the September meet at Churchill Downs that he was pounded down to second-favoritism when he returned three weeks later in the Breeders’ Futurity.

His sixth-place finish in that Grade 1 race at Keeneland was disappointing to his connections and backers, but trainer Brad Cox is expecting the Oklahoma-bred colt to rebound Sunday when he will be strongly favored in the Spendthrift Juvenile Stallion at Churchill.

“He bounced out of the Breeders’ Futurity in great shape,” said Cox. “I really like the way he’s trained since then. We think he’s better than what he showed at Keeneland and hopefully he’ll prove us right Sunday.”

Ezmosh, with Florent Geroux to ride, will break from post 5 in a field of eight in the seventh of 11 Sunday races. He’s part of the colt-and-gelding half of the Spendthrift, an innovative concept brought to life last year by owner B. Wayne Hughes and his staff at Spendthrift as a single $300,000 race that now has been transformed into two $200,000 divisions for the separate genders. The filly division follows an hour later as race 9. Both go at seven furlongs.

Conditions for both divisions restrict eligibility to horses that were sired by any Spendthrift-owned stallion in 2014. Half of each $200,000 purse will be divided among breeders of the top four finishers (percentages of 40-30-20-10), with the other half being disbursed in normal fashion (62-20-10-5-3) after nominal sums are paid to also-rans.

Ezmosh, owned by the Zayat Stables of American Pharoah fame, took three starts to get through his maiden condition, but when he did, it was with aplomb. The son of Tizway earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure, easily the highest in a Spendthrift lineup that also includes John Tippmann (post 1, Robby Albarado), runner-up in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile, and Captivating Moon (post 7, Jose Valdivia Jr.), runner-up in the Arlington-Washington Futurity for Chris Block.

As for the Spendthrift Juvenile Filly Stallion, Mia Mischief figures in the same chalky neighborhood as Ezmosh. She exits a 16-length, 85-Beyer maiden victory on opening weekend at Keeneland. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Mia Mischief is one of the numerous promising young horses in training for the red-hot Spendthrift sire Into Mischief. She will have Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard and breaks from post 2.

Eight other fillies will try to keep up with Mia Mischief, with Sultry (post 9, Corey Lanerie) likely to settle in as the second wagering choice for trainer Eddie Kenneally after knocking out her first allowance condition in an Oct. 12 race at Keeneland at this same seven-furlong distance.

Other considerations include Southampton Way (post 1, Albarado), a two-back runner-up in the Arlington-Washington Lassie; Foxy Mischief (post 5, Jon Court), a well-backed debut winner last month at Churchill for Rick Hiles; Breaking Beauty (post 6, Channing Hill), going turf to dirt for Wayne Catalano; and Bibbidibobbidi Boo (post 8, Marcelino Pedroza), unbeaten in two career starts, both versus Indiana-breds.

Mike Lauer bred, owns and trains Bibbidibobbidi Boo, an Into Mischief filly.

“I really don’t know how she’ll match up,” he said.

Warrior’s Club, ridden by Miguel Mena, won the inaugural Spendthrift on opening day of the 2016 fall meet.