Four wins make for great Derby weekend for Cox
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Even with all the success he has enjoyed in recent years, this past Kentucky Derby weekend is one that trainer Brad Cox will never forget.
Cox won a combined four races on the Oaks and Derby cards, including three stakes: the Grade 2 Eight Belles with Benner Island, the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint with Green Mask, and the Grade 2 American Turf with Arklow.
“I never imagined having a weekend like that, to be honest,” said Cox, a 37-year-old native and lifelong resident of Louisville. “I mean, you dream about it, but for it to actually happen, it was just great.”
His other win came with Visionary Tale in an allowance race that directly followed the Derby. Cox also was represented by Believe in Bertie, beaten just a head by Roca Rojo in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile.
“She ran too good to lose,” he said.
The four wins give Cox a tie for the lead with Greg Foley atop the Churchill trainer standings as the post-Derby segment of the 38-day spring meet begins Thursday. Asked whether he has a shot to win his first training title at Churchill, Cox laughed. He also has strings at Belmont Park and Indiana Grand.
“We’ll try to stay active in the claim box and try to run horses where we can win races,” he said.
In August 2012, Cox was down to just two horses after splitting with Midwest Thoroughbreds. His stable has swelled to more than 100 horses since, with his 2016 statistics of 151 wins and nearly $6.3 million in stable earnings the best yet in a career that began in 2004. He’s on track to surpass those numbers in 2017, having enjoyed a terrific winter and early spring at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park before returning to Kentucky.
