brad cox | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cox Hoping To Send Warrior’s Charge From Iselin To Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Trainer Brad Cox is doing his best to focus solely on Saturday's $200,000 Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park for Warrior's Charge, but it's not always easy when the ultimate goal – the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile – is this close.

Warrior's Charge, fourth in the Grade 1 Met Mile in his last start and a close-up fourth in the Preakness a year ago, heads a compact field of six for the 85th edition of the Iselin, the feature on a 14-race card.

“Our goal, our dream I guess you could call it, is the Breeders' Cup (Dirt) Mile (Nov. 7 at Keeneland),” said Cox. “I don't know if this would be his last race for that. We probably have some options.

“But I'm a one race at a time guy. I want to get through Saturday before we pick out our next couple of races. The goal is definitely to get this horse to the Breeders' Cup (Dirt) Mile and I feel like Monmouth Park's course, the way it plays, the mile and a sixteenth around two turns, would be something he will like. So we'll see.”

A 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Munnings-Battling Brook by Broken Vow, Warrior's Charge launched his 2020 campaign with a win in the Grade 3 Razorback at Oaklawn on Feb. 17. He followed that by finishing second in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap before being beaten just two lengths in the Met Mile at Belmont Park on July 4 in his last start.

Warrior's Charge sports a 4-1-3 from 10 career starts with earnings of $715,310.

“I thought he ran huge,” Cox said of the Met Mile. “I thought it was a big effort. He ran against some Grade 1 horses and he showed he can compete. I was very pleased with the effort and he bounced out of it in good shape.

“He has definitely matured. I think he has shown in his races this year that he has stepped up and run big against some of the best horses in the country.”

The speedy Warrior's Charge looks the most likely candidate on paper to control the pace with his front-running style, though the Grant Forster-trained Pirate's Punch is also a speedy type.

“Obviously we have a great jock for Monmouth Park in Paco Lopez,” said Cox. “So I feel comfortable with the set up. If all goes well and he gets a good, clean trip he will definitely be a factor.

“Bal Harbour is obviously a nice horse. Pirate's Punch is a nice horse as well. It's not a big field but it's a very competitive race. It's a group of horses that are very well matched.”

Bal Harbour, who has competed in graded stakes company his last eight starts, is trained by Gregg Sacco, who also supplemented multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control to the race. Sacco said a decision on whether Mind Control will go in the Iselin Stakes will be made on Friday. The 4-year-old colt has tried two turns just once in his 14-race career, finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2018.

“He's ready if that's the direction the owners want to go,” Sacco said.

Mind Control last raced in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at six furlongs at Saratoga on July 25, finishing third.

Warrior's Charge, owned by Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables, will ship to Monmouth Park from Churchill Downs on Friday morning, Cox said, with the trainer's 21-year-old son Bryson handling the horse when he arrives in New Jersey.

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Godolphin, Cox Elect To Bypass Kentucky Derby With Shared Sense

Godolphin's Indiana Derby winner Shared Sense has been removed from consideration for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, reports Horse Racing Nation. The son of Street Sense was most recently fifth behind Art Collector in the Ellis Park Derby.

“I just spoke with Jimmy Bell from Godolphin, and we have elected to bypass the Kentucky Derby and take it off of our radar,” trainer Brad Cox told HRN. “He will remain in training, and we will campaign him through the fall, but we will not point for the Kentucky Derby.”

Over his nine-race career, Shared Sense has compiled a record of three wins and two seconds for earnings of $327,745.

Among the options being considered for Shared Sense include the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sept. 27.

Math Wizard, Runnin’toluvya Top Nominees For Aug. 28 Charles Town Classic

Led by 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Math Wizard, defending race champ Runnin'toluvya and 2019 Frizette (G1) heroine Wicked Whisper, a total of 141 nominations were received for the $600,000 Charles Town Classic (G2) and $200,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3) which closed this past Friday. When the two races are run together on Friday, August 28, it will mark the first time Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races will hold both of its graded stakes on the same day. The 12th running of the Charles Town Classic, postponed from its original April 18 date following the track's closure due to the COVID pandemic, and the Charles Town Oaks, moved up from its September 19 spot on the calendar are only two of seven total stakes races on the card totaling $1,250,000 in purse money.

Steve Asmussen, who trained Four Gifts to a win in the inaugural running of the Charles Town Oaks in 2009, led the way with 15 nominations for the two races, with the Charles Town Classic brigade headlined by 2019 Pimlico Special (G3) victor and 2018 Preaknesss (G1) runner-up Tenfold who scratched out of Sunday's Alydar Stakes at Saratoga.

Trainer Brad Cox looks to send out his first runner in the Charles Town Classic and has a trio of older horses to choose from in Night Ops, a winner of the Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in his last start, multiple graded stakes winner Owendale and Warrior's Charge, most recently a good fourth behind Vekoma, Network Effect and Code of Honor in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park.

Much like Cox, Bret Calhoun would be saddling his first Charles Town Classic starter and appears possible to do so with Mr. Money, a winner of four straight graded stakes events as a three-year-old, including the West Virginia Derby (G3), before seeing that winning streak snapped by a close-up second place effort in the Pennsylvania Derby. Calhoun also has the multiple graded stakes winning six-year-old Silver Dust nominated to the Classic.

Others nominated to the Charles Town Classic include 2019 race runner-up Diamond King, 2019 Woodward (G1) runner-up Bal Harbour, Monmouth Cup (G3) winner Global Campaign, Santa Anita Handicap (G1) second place finisher and expected starter Multiplier, Challenger (G3) victor Trophy Chaser and War Story, a winner of more than $3.2 million over his career that includes three previous efforts in the Charles Town Classic.

While Math Wizard stands as his lone Charles Town Classic nomination, trainer Saffie Joseph was well represented amongst Charles Town Oaks nominees with four sophomore fillies, including the multiple graded stakes winner Tonalist's Shape and Loriloupies, an impressive winner in consecutive starts earlier this year at Gulfstream.

Others nominated and possible for the Charles Town Oaks include Boerne, winner of the Azalea in her last start at Gulfstream, Hopeful Growth, most recently victorious in the Monmouth Oaks (G3) and Project Whiskey, who scored in the Delaware Oaks (G3) at odds of nearly 40-to-1.

Entries for the August 28 Charles Town Classic card will be taken on Tuesday, August 25.

Nominations for three more unrestricted stakes all run at seven furlongs – the $150,000 Dance to Bristol for older fillies and mares, the $100,000 Russell Road and the $100,000 Robert Hilton Memorial for three-year-olds – close this upcoming Friday, August 14.

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Into Mischief Filly All by Her Lonesome in Audobon Oaks

One day after ‘TDN Rising Star’ Gamine’s dominant romp in the GI Longines Test S., fellow Into Mischief sophomore filly Mundaye Call turned in a similarly head-turning performance. The pricey Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad began her career with Don Chatlos, Jr., missing in her Saratoga debut almost exactly a year ago by a head at odds-on and finishing one slot ahead of Secondary Market (Into Mischief), who took a salty Saratoga allowance Sunday. Mundaye Call set the pace before fading to seventh in the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 1, but resurfaced at Del Mar Nov. 16 to break through by daylight over two next-out winners. She subsequently joined the Brad Cox barn, and returned to take a Keeneland allowance July 11 over Perfect Happiness (Majesticperfecton), who aired by 8 1/4 lengths in a local allowance a week ago.

One of many one could make a case for here, the bay took no prisoners from the outset as she bowled along on the front end through splits of :22.25 and :45.11. She never showed any signs of slowing, and poured it on in the stretch to cruise away under minimal encouragement while lowering the track record.

“Not surprised,” rider Florent Geroux said of the record-breaking effort. “The filly has been working extremely well in the morning. We’ve been very high on her. She won nicely first time for Brad at Keeneland with Joel Rosario while I was gone at Belmont Park to ride Monomoy Girl (Tapizar). You never expect a track record. But we expected a big race for her today.”

Cox added, “She’s a big strong filly. Right sire. That sire is amazing. We’ve had luck with Covfefe, Owendale, others. Gamine–we don’t have her, but wish we did. Long list of good Into Mischiefs, and she’s hopefully going to be on the list. She’s fast. She showed that today breaking the track record. She’s still lightly raced. We’re very pleased with what she was able to accomplishment today.”

Cox said he would discuss the prospects of running in next month’s GI Kentucky Oaks with owner Larry Best.

Mundaye Call is out of an unraced daughter of French MGSW and English G1SP Smolensk, who also produced GSW/GSIP Can the Man (Into Mischief). Her third dam is Oaks winner Blush With Pride, who in turn was the dam of Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister). Reve d’Amour has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Malibu Moon, a yearling filly by Strong Mandate and a foal full-brother to Mundate Call. She was bred back to Gun Runner.

RUNHAPPY AUDOBON OAKS, $98,667, Ellis, 8-9, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:21.17 (NTR), ft.
1–MUNDAYE CALL, 118, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Reve d’Amour, by Warrior’s Reward
                2nd Dam: Smolensk, by Danzig
                3rd Dam: Blush With Pride, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
($950,000 Ylg ’18 FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-OXO
Equine LLC; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox;
J-Florent Geroux. $58,710. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $159,360.
2–Ocean Breeze, 118, f, 3, Curlin–Oceanwave, by Harlan’s
Holiday. O-Gary and Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables
Inc. (KY); T-Wayne M. Catalano. $19,100.
3–Sconsin, 118, f, 3, Include–Sconnie, by Tiznow. O-Lloyd
Madison Farms, IV LLC; B-Lloyd Madison Farms LLC (KY);
T-Gregory D. Foley. $9,550.
Margins: 7 1/4, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.20, 6.80, 5.40.
Also Ran: Truth Hurts, Casual, Misty Blue, Lastchanceforlove, Street of Dreams, Compelling Smile, Spartanka, Hello Beautiful.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.

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