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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: ‘I Don’t Think I Could Ever Work For Somebody Else’

Jorje Abrego distinctly remembers that dark day in 2012 when Midwest Thoroughbreds abruptly removed their horses from trainer Brad Cox's barn.

“It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and I looked down the shed row to see all webbings laying open, no horses in the stalls; it was sad,” Abrego said. “I remember somebody told me, 'You know, you better find another job, because Brad has only two horses!'

“Brad came into Barn 47 and told me, 'Please don't go anywhere, I'll keep you on your salary if you stay here. I'm going to get more horses.'”

That he did. The Cox operation is now setting new milestones: the barn had four Breeders' Cup winners at the 2020 World Championships, and has three top candidates on the Kentucky Derby trail early in 2021.

“You know, sometimes bad things come, and then very good things come after,” Abrego said from his office at Oaklawn Park. “The rest is a very good story. It's amazing, really.”

The 35-year-old native of Guatemala has been at Cox's side since 2009, working his way up from a part-time groom and part-time hotwalker to one of the trainer's top assistants. Abrego had only ever worked with a few horses, and had never seen a racehorse before arriving in the United States at the age of 22. He only walked hots before taking the job in Cox's barn.

It isn't hard to see that Abrego's long-time loyalty to the trainer runs deep; he's one of the first ones at the barn in the morning, and one of the last to leave it at night. He can be found in most of the photographs of the barn's top runners, and he still answers Cox's calls with a crisp, respectful, “Yes, sir.”

For the past five or six years, Abrego has made Oaklawn Park his winter home, handling a barn full of horses as well as the high-quality ship-in runners. Last weekend, for example, champions Monomoy Girl and Essential Quality shipped up from New Orleans before triumphing in local stakes races.

Assistant trainer Jorje Abrego celebrates a victory at Oaklawn Park

The chestnut phenom Monomoy Girl is the one who has Abrego's heart, however.

“I love every single horse in my barn, and maybe Brad Cox will win 100 more Grade 1 races, but I'll always remember her,” Abrego said. “She was the first Grade 1 for the team, and it's amazing to have a 6-year-old filly still running.”

The daughter of Tapizar gave Cox his first G1 win in the 2018 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland, and has now won two editions of the Breeders' Cup Distaff, in 2018 and in 2020. She missed over a year of racing between her championship-defining victories, but came back with a vengeance to dominate her division in 2020.

Monomoy Girl sold to Spendthrift Farm for $9.5 million at the end of 2020, and B. Wayne Hughes decided to return the champion racemare to Cox for a final season of racing in 2021. In her first start as a 6-year-old, Monomoy Girl posted a facile victory in the G3 Bayakoa Stakes on Feb. 28 at Oaklawn.

Her racing success isn't the only thing Abrego loves about the mare.

“This filly is so sweet, too, especially when you give her a peppermint,” he said. “When this filly is walking the shed row, she's like a pony. You'd never think she would run like that.”

The excitement is ramping up in the whole barn this year, as Cox has three runners with points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The trainer has never started a horse in the Run for the Roses, but with 2-year-old champion Essential Quality in the barn, as well as prep winners Mandaloun and Caddo River, the first Saturday in May can't come quickly enough.

“I just hope we have the right one in the barn, the winner,” Abrego said, smiling.

Jorje Abrego, left, schooling Essential Quality in the paddock at Oaklawn before the colt's win in the G3 Southwest Stakes

At the end of the day, win or lose, Abrego knows he has the best job in the world. He has a hard time expressing his gratitude to Cox for taking a chance on him all those years ago, but he'll never forget it.

“When I told him this, believe me, it came from my heart,” Abrego relayed. “I told him, 'I don't think I could ever work for somebody else.' I love this job too much.

“I don't feel like Brad Cox is my boss, really. The guy treats me like family.”

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Local Prep Winner Will’s Secret Hasn’t Missed A Beat Ahead Of Saturday’s Honeybee

Oaklawn's road to the Kentucky Oaks continues Saturday with the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles.

The Honeybee is the ninth of 10 races, with probable post time 5:10 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 1 p.m.

The Honeybee will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies. Last year's Honeybee winner, Shedaresthedevil, captured the delayed Kentucky Oaks (COVID-19) for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox and co-owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

Cox has two entrants Saturday, including 5-2 program favorite Sun Path for breeder/owner Juddmonte Farms. Sun Path, a daughter of Munnings, will be making her first start since a disappointing fourth-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds.

“Sun Path's been training extremely well,” Cox said. “I have really no excuse or reason for her dull performance last time. I was kind of taken aback by that. She came out of it well. She's breezed tremendous at the Fair Grounds.”

Prior to the Silverbulletday, Sun Path had broken her maiden by three lengths Nov. 8 at Churchill Downs and won a first-level allowance race by 12 ¾ lengths in her two-turn debut Dec. 18 at Fair Grounds.

Cox's other entrant is Coach, who finished a troubled second as the odds-on favorite in Oaklawn's first Kentucky Oaks points race, the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 30. Coach was squeezed early and beaten 5 ¼ lengths by Will's Secret in the 1-mile race run over a muddy surface. Coach had won her first three career starts before completing her 2-year-old campaign with a third-place finish behind stablemate Travel Column in the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Coach breezed a half-mile in :48.60 last Sunday morning, but Cox noted the daughter of Commissioner had her work/gallop schedule significantly impacted after Oaklawn lost 11 days of training last month because of severe winter weather.

“Coach has obviously missed some training,” Cox said. “We'll kind of see how things go.”

Conversely, powerful Martha Washington winner Will's Secret hasn't missed a beat, said Fair Grounds-based Dallas Stewart, who trains the daughter of champion Will Take Charge for breeder/owner Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark. After winning the Martha Washington, Will's Secret recorded three half-mile works last month at Fair Grounds.

“She's doing good,” Stewart said. “She's a nice, honest filly and easy to train – just an easy keeper. Nice filly.”

Will's Secret is bidding for her third consecutive victory. After finishing third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by the highly regarded Clairiere, Oct. 25 at Churchill Downs, Will's Secret broke her maiden by 2 ¾ lengths in a 1 1/16-mile off-the-turf event Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds under Jon Court. She displayed push-button acceleration in the Martha Washington, romping from just off the pace under Court.

“Actually, I thought it might be a little short for her,” Stewart said of the Martha Washington. “She proved me wrong. She stepped up to the plate nicely.”

The projected eight-horse Honeybee field from the rail out: Tabor Hall, David Cohen to ride, 117 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line; Will's Secret, Jon Court, 122, 7-2; Willful Woman, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 6-1; Sun Path, Joe Talamo, 117, 5-2; Pauline's Pearl, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 8-1; Absolute Anna, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 15-1; Oliviaofthedesert, David Cabrera, 119, 7-2; and Coach, Florent Geroux, 119, 4-1.

The Honeybee is the final major local prep for the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 3. The Fantasy is Oaklawn's third and final Kentucky Oaks points race. Last year's Fantasy winner, Swiss Skydiver, was named the country's champion 3-year-old filly after finishing second in the Kentucky Oaks and beating males, including eventual Horse of the Year Authentic, in the Preakness, the final leg of the revamped Triple Crown. Swiss Skydiver's trainer, Kenny McPeek, is represented by Oliviaofthedesert and Tabor Hall, both based this winter in Florida.

Oliviaofthedesert closed her 2020 campaign victories in a Nov. 28 allowance race at Churchill Downs and the $60,000 Trapeze Stakes Dec. 18 at Remington Park. Owner Susan Moulton purchased the daughter of Bernardini for $320,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Moulton's Fire Coral finished fifth behind Swiss Skydiver in the Fantasy.

“She seems to be getting better,” McPeek said of Oliviaofthedesert. “Just been real pleased with everything. She got a little break between races. She's been training down here in Florida for two months.”

Tabor Hall broke her maiden by 1 ½ front-running lengths Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park in her last start.

“I'm glad to have David back up on (Oliviaofthedesert),” McPeek said, referring to Cabrera. “He did a marvelous job on Olivia (in the Trapeze). David Cohen's won the Travers for me, so I know I can trust his work. Tactically, I haven't dug too deep on it.”

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won the Honeybee a record five times, is represented by Fair Grounds shipper Pauline's Pearl and Willful Woman, who broke her maiden Jan. 24 at Oaklawn for prominent Arkansas owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong.

Willfull Woman's half-sister, the Asmussen-trained Ever So Clever, finished fifth in the 2017 Honeybee before winning the Fantasy.

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Sun Path To Ship North, Chase Oaks Points In Oaklawn’s Honeybee

Juddmonte Farms' two-time winner Sun Path was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies signed on to compete in Saturday's $300,000 Honeybee (Grade 3) at Oaklawn.

The Honeybee is the featured race on Oaklawn's 10-race program. The 1 1/16-mile event is carded as Race 9 with a post time of 6:10 p.m. The Top 4 finishers will be awarded points on a 50-20-10-5 scale for the April 30, $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks.

Trained by two-time Kentucky Oaks-winning conditioner Brad Cox, Sun Path was an emphatic 12-length winner of a Dec. 18 allowance event at Fair Grounds. The Munnings filly attempted stakes company in the $150,000 Silverbulletday but settled for a fourth-place finish after a wide trip throughout the race. Joe Talamo has the call from post No. 4.

Sun Path is the half-sister Bonny South, winner of the G2 Fair Grounds Oaks and second in the G1 Alabama last year.

Another filly likely to garner attention at the betting windows is Willis Horton's $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes winner Will's Secret. Trained by Dallas Stewart and ridden by Jon Court, Will's Secret bested five rivals in the Jan. 30 Martha Washington by 5 ¼ lengths at odds of 8-1. The homebred daughter of Willis' prized stallion Will Take Charge, Will's Secret drew post 2 for Saturday's Honeybee.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Tabor Hall (David Cohen, Kenny McPeek, 10-1); Will's Secret (Court, Stewart, 7-2); Willful Woman (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 6-1); Sun Path (Talamo, Cox, 5-2); Pauline's Pearl (Francisco Arietta, Asmussen, 8-1); Absolute Anna (Ramon Vazquez, Jerry Hollendorfer, 15-1); Oliviaofthedesert (David Cabrera, McPeek, 7-2); Coach (Florent Geroux, Cox, 4-1).

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Champions Monomoy Girl, Essential Quality Return To Fair Grounds To Prepare For Next Engagements

Champions Monomoy Girl and Essential Quality left Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., late Tuesday morning after successful 2021 debuts over the weekend for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

Assistant trainer Jorgito Abrego, who oversees Cox's Oaklawn division, said Monomoy Girl and Essential Quality were vanned back to Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., where they have been based and trained this winter, and now, early spring. Essential Quality (4 for 4 overall) won Saturday's $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds, his first start since clinching an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 2-year-old male in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Monomoy Girl began her farewell tour by winning Sunday's $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares to stretch her career record to 14-2-0 from 16 starts. She was the county's champion 3-year-old filly of 2018 and champion older dirt female last year.

Cox said Essential Quality could return to Hot Springs for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10. Plans are more concrete for Monomoy Girl, who will be pointed for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17 at Oaklawn, Cox said.

“Little more consistent weather there right now,” Cox said. “That would be the main reason we're taking them back down. Neither one of them will run there, obviously.”

Monomoy Girl received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 96 for her two-length Bayakoa victory. It was her first start since winning the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland and first since Spendthrift Farm purchased the 6-year-old daughter of Tapizar for $9.5 million the following day at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. Monomoy Girl will join Spendthrift's broodmare band in 2022, its stallion sales manager, Mark Toothaker, said in the Larry Snyder Winner's Circle following the Bayakoa.

Bloodstock agent Liz Crow purchased Monomoy Girl for $100,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for her original owner, Sol Kumin. Shortly before the Bayakoa, it was revealed that Kumin had bought back into the mare and My Racehorse Stable, which offers fractional ownership to investors, was another of Spendthrift's racing partners.

“You couldn't help but being a little bit nervous,” Toothaker, a Van Buren, Ark., native, said. “She did what she does. She doesn't win always drawing off, just does enough to win. Brad said that's probably why she's still around at 6 years old.”

Favored at 1-5 under regular rider Florent Geroux, Monomoy Girl ($2.40) ran 1 1/16 miles over a sloppy surface in 1:45.92. Lightning was visible southeast of Oaklawn during the post parade. Like Toothaker, Cox said he was a “little bit” nervous leading up to Monomoy Girl's 2021 debut.

“That kind of comes with what she's accomplished,” Cox said moments after sweeping the final three races Sunday. “It's kind of a relief to get it over with.”

Monomoy Girl's 11th stakes victory increased her career earnings to $4,576,818, which ranks 82^nd in North American history, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. Among Oaklawn-raced females, only Eclipse Award winners Midnight Bisou ($7,471,520) and Zenyatta ($7,304,580) have bankrolled more money. Zenyatta won the 2008 and 2010 Apple Blossom en route to champion older dirt female honors. She was also 2010 Horse of the Year. Midnight Bisou used a victory in the 2019 Apple Blossom as a springboard to an Eclipse Award as champion older dirt female.

“We're just very fortunate to be around her and to own her,” Toothaker said. “Look forward to this year and we'll look forward to breeding her to Into Mischief next year. Very exciting.”

Kentucky's Spendthrift stands Into Mischief, North America's leading sire the last two years.

The Southwest and Bayakoa were originally scheduled Feb. 15 before being postponed twice because of severe winter weather. The Bayakoa was Monomoy Girl's first start at Oaklawn.

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