Notable breeder Edward A. Cox Jr. dies at 83

Prominent owner and breeder Edward A. Cox Jr. died last month in his native state of Illinois. He was 83.

Cox stopped at a horse farm in Louisville in 1960 while he and his wife were driving home from their honeymoon, sparking his interest in Thoroughbred breeding and racing and leading to more than 50 years’ involvement with the industry. He became a longtime associate of Claiborne Farm, co-owning 1984’s 3-year-old champion Swale, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, with the historic nursery.

Claiborne handled a dispersal of Cox’s stock at last fall’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale, with 20 horses selling for a combined $3,669,000. The top prices came for a number of mares closely related to champion Zenyatta, a family Cox presciently bought into and cultivated. He purchased Treasure Trail for $550,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale before her half-sister Zenyatta rose to prominence. Although Treasure Trail went winless in four starts, she went on to become a stakes producer. Her War Front colt, whom Cox sold for $800,000 as a yearling, became Long Island Sound, a Group 3 winner and second in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes in the U.S. Treasure Trail sold for $725,000 to Northshore Bloodstock in the dispersal at Keeneland November, while her daughter Naples Parade sold for $450,000 to White Birch Farm. Daughter Terrific Treasure went for $385,000 to West Bloodstock and Mike Repole.

Cox also raced multiple Grade 1 winners Banker's Lady and Classy Cathy and graded stakes winners Impetuous Gal, Live Lively, and Naples Bay; bred multitple Grade 1 winner and sire Marquetry and Irish classic winner Shaadi; and co-bred Irish champion and successful sire Woodman with the late Warner L. Jones Jr. of Hermitage Farm. He also bred and sold Mitole, a stakes winner this year.