The Brad Cox stable topped out at 207 starters during the 2018-19 Fair Grounds meet. That number has dwindled each meet since, and Cox’s winter shift from Louisiana to Florida, where he began training a string at Payson Park a year ago, has become even more clear this Fair Grounds meet. Through Jan. 4, approaching a third of the way through the meet, Cox had sent out only 24 Fair Grounds starters. Nonetheless, he has come up with a runner apiece in two second-level allowance races – both restricted to older fillies and mares – on Friday’s eight-race card. Bless the Broken faces six in race 6, carded for 1 1/16 miles on dirt, while Shining Star is among eight entered in race 7, a turf sprint over 5 1/2 furlongs. Both races carry $50,000 claiming options and have the Cox runner as a morning-line favorite. Florent Geroux, who spent December riding in Japan, has the mount on Bless the Broken, whom Cox shipped from Payson to make her first start since June 6. Bless the Broken debuted at Evangeline Downs during summer 2024, won by more than 10 lengths, and was sent by owner-breeder Kevin Moody’s Cypress Creek Equine into the stable of trainer Will Walden. It was about a year ago at Fair Grounds that Bless the Broken revealed herself as an actual stakes horse, finishing second in the Silverbulletday and improving enough through the spring to nab third in the Kentucky Oaks, won by the Cox-trained Good Cheer. :: Big Action in the Big Easy at Fair Grounds! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. After an even fourth over sloppy going in the Grade 1 Acorn at Saratoga, Bless the Broken’s racing year was done, though Cypress Creek hit a home run in November when Bless the Broken sold at auction for $950,000. Bless the Broken worked twice for Cox at Churchill before going on to Payson, where she has posted five drills. The most recent of those, on Jan. 3, came in company with a first-level allowance filly named Shangrala Road, the pair going a half-mile on even terms in 49.80 seconds, galloping out decently while remaining side by side. Bless the Broken has only hit 87 on the Beyer Speed Figure scale and would be worth trying to beat Friday at a very short price if any of her opponents looked capable. Unfortunately, they do not. Cox’s other Friday favorite, Shining Star, made her first five starts in her native Chile and showed little for trainer John Sadler in her North American debut at Santa Anita last May. She returned from a layoff of more than four months for her new trainer, Cox, on a new circuit and on an unfamiliar surface, turf. And the mare, by the Tapit sire Saraha Spirit, loved the grass. Facing 11 first-level allowance foes at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Shining Star lacked early zip but cruised into contention along the rail going to the half-mile pole. She slipped through a narrow opening on the fence early on the turn, and – whoosh – she was gone. Opening a huge lead under little urging, Shining Star was needlessly hard-ridden through the homestretch to a 7 1/4-length victory, looking like a stakes-level turf sprinter and a horse more than capable of notching another Cox win at Fair Grounds. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.