Plans beginning to gel for Cox's stable stars

One of the most accomplished horses in trainer Brad Cox’s stable is training at Fair Grounds for a possible start in Florida. Meanwhile, the most accomplished horse in his stable is resting in Florida and scheduled to re-enter training next month at Fair Grounds.

Horse A is Leofric, who has blossomed beautifully the second part of this season with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Woodward in New York followed by wins in the Fayette at Keeneland and the Clark Handicap on Nov. 23 at Churchill, Leofric’s first win at the Grade 1 level.

Horse B is Monomoy Girl, who is living a life of leisure at the Paul Sharp Stables in Williston, Fla. Monomoy Girl, who capped an absolutely fabulous 3-year-old campaign with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, gets daily turn-out in a small paddock at Sharp’s farm, and from what Cox has heard is taking her time away from the track “very well.” Cox said that Monomoy Girl will return to Fair Grounds in January and if all goes well thereafter will make her 4-year-old debut in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn in early April or the La Troienne at Churchill in early May.

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Leofric, a 5-year-old Candy Ride horse, appeared to be an allowance- or listed-class dirt-route horse until midsummer, when his form took a turn for the better. He eked out a neck win over Bravazo in the Grade 1 Clark and on Saturday had his first work since that race, going an easy half-mile in 49.20.

Cox said Leofric will run next in either the $9 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 26 at Gulfstream or the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (in which Leofric was second earlier this year) on Feb. 18 at Gulfstream.

“We just kind of backed off him a bit for a week after the Clark, but with those two races in mind we weren’t going to turn him out or anything,” he said.

Cox, however, did turn out his two best turf horses, Arklow and Mr. Misunderstood. Arklow, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and Mr. Misunderstood, who capped his 2018 campaign winning the Grade 3 River City on Nov. 19 at Churchill, both are getting a winter break in Ocala, Fla. Arklow could be on a more advanced schedule than Mr. Misunderstood, with a 2019 debut in the Muniz Memorial Handicap on March 23 at Fair Grounds possible. Cox said Mr. Misunderstood probably would be pointed to a Keeneland comeback run in April.

The 4-year-old filly Golden Mischief, who won the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America before finishing fifth in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, isn’t being pointed to any races, Cox said. Golden Mischief has been retired by Juddmonte Farms and is scheduled to be bred to Arrogate this winter.