Plans for First Mission and other Cox stablemates
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First Mission, who was scratched from the Preakness due to an issue with his left hind leg, was diagnosed with a minor case of bone bruising and is getting 60 days off, trainer Brad Cox said.
“It was very minor, didn’t expect it to be much,” said Cox, who added First Mission is on the farm in Kentucky.
First Mission had won two of three starts including the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes. He was made the 5-2 second choice on the morning-line for the Preakness behind Kentucky Derby winner Mage before he was scratched the day before the race.
Cox said First Mission could go back into training sometime mid-to-late July and perhaps be back to the races by late summer or early fall.
“He should be as good as new,” Cox said.
Cox said that Wet Paint, fourth as the favorite in the Grade 1 Acorn, is pointing to the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Stakes to be run on June 17 at Ellis Park.
The Monomoy Girl keeps Wet Paint racing around two turns. Prior to the Oaks, she had won three consecutive races including the Fantasy and Honeybee — both Grade 3 stakes — at Oaklawn Park.
Meanwhile, Rhea Moon was recently transferred to Cox from Phil D’Amato. Unraced since winning the the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, Rhea Moon was nominated to both the Grade 1 New York and Grade 1 Just a Game run over Belmont Stakes weekend. In the end, she was not entered in either one of those races.
“We haven’t had her with us long enough to feel comfortable about taking a swing at Grade 1,” Cox said. “Honestly, the plan is to work her this weekend and continue to shop for spots.”
Cox said Rhea Moon is nominated to the Grade 3, $150,000 Eatontown at Monmouth on June17, but he was noncommittal on whether to run there.
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