Champion trainer Brad Cox plans to run two sophomore colts in 100-point prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. He told bloodhorse.com on Tuesday that Cyberknife, pointed to the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on April 2, is the better of his two Derby hopefuls right now.
The 3-year-old son of Gun Runner first attracted attention after his maiden win at the Fair Grounds on Dec. 26, and went off as the third choice in the G3 Lecomte on Jan. 22. The colt's sixth-place finish in that spot prompted Cox to back him up to allowance company.
Cyberknife responded with a solid three-length victory on Feb. 19, completing 1 1/16 miles over the fast track in 1:42.53.
“There's no question about his talent, but he's a challenging horse mentally and he can be erratic in the lane,” Cox told bloodhorse.com. “Yet he's a good colt. He got a big figure for his last race and I think he's going to improve every time you take him over there to run and he gets experience racing in the afternoons. He just has to step up to the plate and if he puts it all together he can be a solid horse. I think he's the better of my two right now.”
Cyberknife is owned by Gold Square LLC, and was bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey out of the multiple stakes-winning, multiple graded stakes-placed Flower Alley mare Awesome Flower.
Cox's other Derby aspirant, Zozos, is pointed to the G2 Louisiana Derby on March 26. Undefeated in two starts, the son of Munnings won a Feb. 11 allowance at Oaklawn by 10 1/4 lengths. Zozos is a homebred for owners Barry and Joni Butzow, out of their nine-time winner Papa's Forest (Forestry). The mare's other foal, Emerald Forest (Gemologist), is a five-time winner.
Read more at bloodhorse.com.
The post ‘A Challenging Horse Mentally,’ Cyberknife Preparing For Arkansas Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
