Tag: brad cox

Letruska Defeats Monomoy Girl In An Apple Blossom Thriller

Saturday's $1-million, Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap was billed as a match of North American champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver, but a third champion – this one from Mexico – stole the show when Letruska re-rallied in deep stretch to snatch victory from Monomoy Girl by a nose in a stirring renewal of Oaklawn's major race for fillies and mares in Hot Springs, Ark.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Letruska – a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred Super Saver mare bred and owned by St. George Stables and trained by Fausto Gutierrez – set the pace in the Apple Blossom and was passed by Monomoy Girl in the stretch. But the winner of 12 previous races from 17 starts – including a trio of G3 events in the U.S. after being imported from Mexico – fought back gallantly for the win. She covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.13 and paid $8.80 as the third wagering choice.

Monomoy Girl, the 3-5 favorite and two-time champion (3-year-old filly in 2018 and older dirt mare in 2020), finished second. Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly in 2020, was a non-threatening third after racing close up early but bottled up along the inside. Getridofwhatailesu, like Monomoy Girl trained by Brad Cox, finished fourth in the field of six.

Monomoy Girl carried high weight of 124 pounds, conceding two pounds to Swiss Skydiver and six pounds to Letruska.

The defeat ended a six-race win streak for Monomoy Girl that included G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff victories in 2018 and 2020. Her last defeat was when finishing first but being disqualified for interference in the G1 Cotillion at Parx in 2018. The Apple Blossom was just the second time in 17 races she didn't cross the finish line ahead of her competition. That only other occurrence was when second to Road to Victory in the G2 Golden Rod Stakes as a 2-year-old in 2017.

Letruska was first seen in the U.S. when she won the Copa Invitational del Caribe Stakes at Gulfstream Park in December 2019, coming to this country undefeated in six starts in Mexico. Gutierrez eased the mare into graded stakes company, winning the G3 Shuvee at Saratoga in 2020 and adding the G3 Rampart at Gulfstream last December and then taking the G3 Houston Ladies Classic in January. She came off a narrow defeat to 2020 G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil in the G2 Azeri at Oaklawn.

Letruska outran Swiss Skydiver for the early lead and set fractions of :23.56, :47.96 and 1:12.26 for the opening six furlongs with Monomoy Girl on her right flank most of the way. Monomoy Girl passed Letruska in the stretch, setting a one-mile fraction of 1.36.91, but Letruska fought back gamely for the win.

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Busy Saturday Beneath the Twin Spires

With just two weeks remaining to the running of the GI Kentucky Derby, the Saturday worktab at Churchill Downs was dotted with the names of top sophomores headed towards the first jewel of racing's Triple Crown.

Godolphin's reigning Eclipse Award-winning juvenile colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) took to the Churchill main track at 5:15 a.m. with big-race rider Luis Saez in from Keeneland to put the colt through his paces. The homebred went five furlongs in :59.60 after breaking off about a length behind 4-year-old stablemate Spa City (Street Sense) and was timed in fractions of :12.80, :24.60 and :47.40 before galloping out three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.20 and seven furlongs in 1:28.60. Essential Quality never passed his workmate around the turn and into the backstretch.

It was the first serious piece of work for Essential Quality since his tough defeat of Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 3. Trainer Brad Cox was duly pleased with what he saw Saturday morning.

“I'm not taking a deep breath yet, but we're very pleased with where we are at today,” the conditioner said. “He really had to work for that win in the Blue Grass and we were very pleased how well he ended up bouncing out of it.”


Highly Motivated, whose official status for the Derby remains 'possible,' is scheduled to breeze Sunday morning at Keeneland for trainer Chad Brown and is expected on the Churchill backside Monday.

Following the champ's workout, Cox sent out GII Risen Star S. hero and fellow 'Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) to breeze six furlongs in a crisp 1:11.40. The Juddmonte homebred tugged hard against jockey Florent Geroux and was difficult to settle through early sectional times of :12.40, :24.20 and :35.60. He was noticeably more relaxed once given his head at the quarter pole and worked strongly through the line before clocking seven furlongs in 1:25.20 and a mile in 1:41.60.

Mandaloun exits a disappointing sixth behind Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20, but Cox is more and more inclined to draw a line through the effort.

“[Mandaloun] worked great,” he said. “We were all puzzled after the Louisiana Derby, but he's been doing great since that race–maybe that was just a head-scratcher. He's a really good-looking son of Into Mischief, and we know he's better than what we saw in his last start.”

Live Oak Plantation's Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief), who earned his way into the Run for the Roses via his runner-up effort to Known Agenda (Curlin) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Mar. 27, went five-eighths of a mile in :59.80 Saturday morning. With Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, the homebred skipped along in :12.40, :24.20 and :35.20, then readily drew clear of his company Epic Dreamer (Orb) and was out six furlongs in a strong 1:12.40 and seven panels in 1:25.20.

“This horse is just starting to figure things around the racetrack,” trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll said. “Tyler was in cruise control around there and that gallop out was great.”

Also Saturday morning, 'TDN Rising Star' Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) looked sharp going five furlongs in a bullet :59 (:12.40, :24, :35.40, :47, out 1:12.40) for trainer Ken McPeek; and GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Ava's Grace (Laoban) went a half-mile in :48.60 for Robertino Diodoro for the Apr. 30 GI Kentucky Oaks.

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Essential Quality Among Derby Candidates Breezing At Churchill Downs; Concert Tour Taking Bypass To Preakness

On an action-packed Saturday morning beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Godolphin's undefeated champion colt Essential Quality continued his march to the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) with a swift five-furlong move in :59.60 early Saturday morning. Fellow Derby contenders Mandaloun (six furlongs, 1:11.40) and Soup and Sandwich (five furlongs, :59.80) also worked toward their start in the “Run for the Roses.”

Essential Quality, the recent winner of the $800,000 Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland, worked at 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern) with jockey Luis Saez aboard through splits of :12.80, :24.60 and :47.40. The gray Tapit colt began his work one length behind two-time winning stablemate Spa City and finished even at the wire. Spa City's final five-furlong time was :59.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Essential Quality galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and completed seven furlongs in 1:28.60.

“I'm not taking a deep breath yet but we're very pleased with where we are at today two weeks from the Derby,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He really had to work for that win in the Blue Grass and we were very pleased how well he ended up bouncing out of it.”

Mandaloun working under Florent Geroux at Churchill Downs

Following Essential Quality's move, Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun worked with jockey Florent Geroux aboard in company with maiden winner Colonel Bowman. The duo began their six-furlong move from the five-eighths pole through splits of :12.40, :24.20, :35.60 and :58.80. Mandaloun continued to extend his stride in front of Colonel Bowman through a seven-furlong gallop out in 1:25.20 and completed one-mile in 1:41.60. Colonel Bowman's final six-furlong time was 1:11.80.

“(Mandaloun) worked great,” Cox said. “We were all puzzled after the Louisiana Derby (G2) but he's been doing great since that race maybe that was just a head scratcher. He's a really good-looking son of Into Mischief and we know he's better than what we saw in his last start.”

At 7:30 a.m., Live Oak Plantation's homebred Soup and Sandwich cruised five furlongs with jockey Tyler Gaffalione on board. The once-beaten son of Into Mischief worked in company with four-time winner Epic Dreamer through opening fractions of :12.40, :24.20 and :35.20. Soup and Sandwich began drawing clear of his workmate at the wire and galloped out strongly in front with a six-furlong time of 1:12.40 and completed seven furlongs in 1:25.20.

“This horse is just starting to figure things around the racetrack,” trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll said. “Tyler was in cruise control around there and that gallop out was great.”

Soup and Sandwich working under the Twin Spires

Saturday started the 7:30-7:45 a.m. training period for Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders. During that time window, Phoenix Thoroughbred's $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner Crazy Beautiful worked a five-furlong bullet move in :59 with opening fractions of :12.40, :24, :35.40 and :47. She completed her work with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:12.40.

Fellow Oaks contender Ava's Grace, the runner-up in the $600,000 Fantasy (G3) behind Pauline's Pearl, worked a half-mile in :48.60 at 5:15 a.m. with jockey Adam Beschizza up. Owned by Cypress Creek Equine and trained by Robertino Diodoro, Ava's Grace has yet to finish off the board four starts with one win, one second and two third-place finishes.

DERBY NEWS AND NOTES – Six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert reported via text Saturday morning that Gary and Mary West's Concert Tour, third while beaten 2 ½ lengths as the favorite in the April 10 Arkansas Derby (G1), would bypass the May 1 Kentucky Derby. Text: “Concert out. Wait for Preakness.” … Three horses remain listed as “possible” starters in the Derby: Caddo River for trainer Brad Cox and either Highly Motivated or Crowded Trade for trainer Chad Brown. If Brown only runs one as expected that would put American Pharoah (G1) winner and Arkansas Derby fourth Get Her Number into the field and Lexington Stakes (G3) winner King Fury at No. 21 awaiting the Caddo River decision. … Cox reported that Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Caddo River is continuing to train towards a start in the Kentucky Derby but would talk the race over with owner John Ed Anthony and make the decision in the next week. … Klaravich Stable's Blue Grass runner-up Highly Motivated galloped Saturday at Keeneland and is scheduled to work on Sunday. The colt is tentatively scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday. … M Racing Group's Like the King worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward. The Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner is scheduled to arrive Derby Week to Churchill Downs.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Likely starters in the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, May 1, in order of preference (with possible jockey and trainer): Essential Quality (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat, Doug O'Neill); Super Stock (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Known Agenda (Irad Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Rock Your World (Umberto Rispoli, John Sadler); Bourbonic (Kendrick Carmouche, Todd Pletcher); Medina Spirit (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert); Midnight Bourbon (Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen); Mandaloun (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Helium (Julien Leparoux, Mark Casse); Soup and Sandwich (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Dynamic One (Jose Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Sainthood (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Hidden Stash (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); Dream Shake (TBA, Peter Eurton); and O Besos (Marcelino Pedroza, Greg Foley).

Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Caddo River (TBA, Brad Cox); Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown); and Crowded Trade (TBA, Chad Brown).

Next up in order of preference: Get Her Number (TBA, Peter Miller); King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ken McPeek); Hockey Dad (TBA, Doug O'Neill); Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro).

Out of race: Rebel's Romance (IRE) (June 5 Belmont Stakes); Greatest Honour (rest); Concert Tour (May 15 Preakness); Life Is Good (ankle chip); Weyburn (May 8 Peter Pan); Panadol; Proxy; Rombauer (May 15 Preakness); Drain the Clock (shorter distances); New Treasure (IRE); Hozier; Spielberg (rest); and Jackie's Warrior (May 1 Pat Day Mile).

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY OAKS – Likely starters in the 147th running of the Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on Friday, April 30, in order of preference (with possible jockey and trainer): Search Results (Irad Ortiz Jr., Chad Brown); Travel Column (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Crazy Beautiful (Jose Ortiz, Kenny McPeek); Pauline's Pearl (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Malathaat (Joel Rosario, Todd Pletcher); Soothsay (Flavien Prat, Richard Mandella); Clairiere (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen); Will's Secret (Jon Court, Dallas Stewart); Millefeuille (TBA, Bill Mott); Moraz (Umberto Rispoli, Michael McCarthy); Ava's Grace (TBA, Robertino Diodoro); Pass the Champagne (Javier Castellano, George Weaver); and Maracuja (Kendrick Carmouche, Rob Atras).

Possible starters within the Top 14 on the preference list: Beautiful Gift (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert).

Next up in order of preference: The Grass Is Blue (TBA, Chad Brown); Competitive Speed (TBA, Javier Gonzalez); Coach (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); Souper Sensational (TBA, Mark Casse); Moon Swag (TBA, Brendan Walsh); Army Wife (TBA, Mike Maker); and Spritz (Chris Landeros, Rodolphe Brissett).

Out of race: Wholebodemeister; Mnasek; Adventuring; Kalypso; Vequist; Miss Brazil; and Nayefah.

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Bonny South Returns To Winning Ways, Emerges Best In Three-Horse Photo In Doubledogdare

Juddmonte Farms homebred Bonny South, winless in four starts since capturing the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in March 2020, returned to her winning ways in Friday's Grade 3 Baird Doubledogdare Stakes for older fillies and mares at Keeneland racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

The Brad Cox-trained daughter of Munnings was kept off the rail by Florent Geroux throughout the 1 1/16-mile stakes, rallying from mid-pack in the field of six and just edging Royal Flag and pacesetter Graceful Princess in a three-horse photo. The margins were a head from first to second, with runner-up Royal Flag defeating Graceful Princess by another head. Eres Tu was fourth, with High Regard fifth. Speech, winner of the G1 Ashland Stakes in 2020, was bet down to 3-2 favoritism but was finished before far turn and eventually eased in her first start since finishing sixth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland.

Bonny South covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.46 and paid $9.40 for the win. Speech, winner of the G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland for trainer Michael McCarthy, was bet down to 3-2 favoritism

Todd Pletcher-trained Graceful Princess, a 5-year-old Tapit mare searching for her first stakes victory, secured an early lead, outrunning Speech before the first turn and setting fractions of :24.11, :48.02 and 1:12.06 for the first six furlongs. Bonny South raced several lengths behind the front-runner in fourth and began to make her move with three-eighths of a mile remaining. The Munnings 4-year-old ranged up alongside Graceful Princess at the top of the stretch and Royal Flag – who had just one filly beaten in the early going – came to their outside. The three raced as a team to the wire with Bonny South just prevailing after passing the mile marker in 1:37.09.

The victory was the fourth from nine career starts for Bonny South, who chased Speech in the Ashland before runner-up finishes in the G1 Alabama at Saratoga (to Swiss Skydiver) and G2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico (to Miss Marissa). She completed her 2020 campaign with another second-place finish, this time to Envoutante in the G2 Falls City at Churchill Downs.

Post-race quotes:

Florent Geroux (winning rider of Bonnie South)
On the difference today compared to her strong efforts in the past “Just her breaking good and putting me in the race a little bit closer than she has been. Today there wasn't much pace. The idea with her was to see how she broke and I couldn't really rush her but at the same token I couldn't be too far back and try to make a late run. She had a nice trip. When I asked her turning for home, she gave me a nice kick. She was very brave at the end to hold off (runner-up) Royal Flag. She was fighting at the end.”

Brad Cox (winning trainer: “I felt like physically she'd moved forward from (age) 3 to 4. She's certainly been working that way in the mornings. She had a big work last weekend at Churchill and was kinda touting herself. Florent did a good job realizing there wasn't a lot of pace. She had a little bit of a wide trip and dug in late. I was very proud of her.”

On what he sees for the remainder of her 2021 campaign: “Hopefully (it's) one full of Grade 1s – that would be the goal. The (Juddmonte) Spinster (G1 during the Keeneland Fall Meet) would be a race that definitely would be on the radar, having the Juddmonte connections. Hopefully we can get her there and off to the Breeders' Cup.”

Todd Pletcher (trainer of third-place finisher Graceful Princess): “She ran dynamite off the layoff. She got the trip we were hoping for. She really fought hard and we are very pleased with her effort. (Jockey Luis Saez) said it was a battle and our filly dug down deep but just could not quite get there. The fractions were what we were hoping for. She made the lead the right way. She relaxed nicely.”

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