brad cox | Horse Racing Free Tips

Friday’s Racing Insights: Juvenile Colts Take To The Churchill Stage

5th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 2:45 p.m.
Currently in fifth place on TDN's first-crop sire tally behind fellow Spendthrift Farm leader Maximus Mischief, Vino Rosso will look to add to his haul when MASMAK hits the track for the first time Friday afternoon.

Originally purchased for $70,000 by Tom McCrocklin at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the chestnut colt went to FMQ Stables at the OBS Spring Sale earlier this year for $475,000. Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, Masmak's dam GSP Nite in Rome is also responsible for SW Stan the Man (Broken Vow) and GII John A. Nerud S. hero Three Technique (Mr Speaker).

Also making the gate is Frank Fletcher homebred Top Gun Rocket (Into Mischief). The bay colt, trained by Riley Mott and piloted by Junior Alvarado, is the full-brother to GII Prioress S. heroine Frank's Rockette. TJCIS PPS

7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 3:50 p.m.
Speaking of Brad Cox and homebreds, Juddmonte has a gray colt named Dragoon Guard (Arrogate) who will be making his debut in the other seven-furlong race carded for juvenile colts at Churchill Downs. The homebred is out of GII Goldikova S. winner Filimbi (Mizzen Mast), who hails from an extended female family which includes half-sibs Weep No More (Mineshaft), winner of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. and GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. champ Current (Curlin).

Sweet as Sin (Candy Ride {Arg}) makes his first trip to the races for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The chestnut colt, who was purchased at this year's OBS March Sale for $410,000 by L and N Racing and MyRacehorse, and includes Edge Racing as part of its ownership, counts MGSW Family Tree (Smart Strike) as a half-sister and GI Longines Kentucky Oaks runner-up Liora as a full. Sweet as Sin's dam, SW Giant Mover (Giant's Causeway), is out of two-time GII Princess Rooney H. scorer Gold Mover (Gold Fever).

Continuing the homebred theme, Gary and Mary West send Title Contender (Tapit) to the post. Trained by Cox, the gray colt's dam–out of GII Cotillion H. winner India (Hennessy)–is a half-sister to G1 Yasuda Kinen S. and G1 February S. hero Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}). TJCIS PPS

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Reincarnate Favored In PA Derby, Draws Post 11

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will look for a record fifth victory when he sends out 3-1 morning-line favorite Reincarnate (Good Magic) in Saturday's GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby.

“This race is going to be a good step up for him,” Baffert said. “He ran really well at Los Alamitos. He is going to have to break well and show up. That's the main thing. If he shows up, I don't see why he wouldn't run well.”

The field of 11 also includes 7-2 second choice Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) for Brad Cox and FMQ Stables while Steve Asmussen will saddle 5-1 third choice Magic Tap (Tapit) for Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Rounding out the field is Scotland (Good Magic), Il Miracolo (Gun Runner), Gilmore (Twirling Candy), Dreamlike (Gun Runner), Daydreaming Boy (Goldencents), West Coast Cowboy (West Coast), Crupi (Curlin) and Modern Era (Honor Code).

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Second Chances: Connections ‘Remain Very High’ on Quality Road Colt Following Educational Debut

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

After working in company with his elder graded stakes-placed stablemate Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) in an Aug. 19 move for trainer Brad Cox over the Oklahoma training track, there was plenty of chatter behind Air of Defiance (c, 2, Quality Road–Faypien, by Ghostzapper) heading into his Saratoga debut.

Despite proving no match for the jaw-dropping 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) across Union Ave. six days later, Air of Defiance lost little in defeat while gaining some valuable racing experience in the process.

Drawn on the fence over a muddy and sealed track, the 5-1 second choice lunged at the start and rushed up beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr. to race in third in the early stages.

The Gold Square LLC colorbearer began to drop back sharply following an opening quarter in a swift :22.02 and was heading the wrong way while under a ride rounding the far turn in the six-furlong affair.

Left with a ton to do as they straightened for home, Air of Defiance began to figure it out in the stretch. He was guided off the fence down the lane, split rivals shortly thereafter and finished with interest to complete the exacta, albeit 11 1/4 lengths adrift the aforementioned Todd Pletcher-trained first-time starter. Air of Defiance earned a 70 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

The son of Quality Road brought $400,000 from Al Gold's advisor Joe Hardoon out of the Eaton Sales consignment at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Air of Defiance's dam Faypien, a graded winner around two turns and also the runner-up as the favorite in the 2017 GI Test S. at the Spa, realized $875,000 from breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings at the 2018 FTKNOV sale.

The Quality Road over Ghostzapper cross has also produced GSW Guest Suite. Air of Defiance is bred similarly to Quality Road's GISWs Abel Tasman, City of Light and Spring Quality.

“We are hoping to run Air of Defiance Oct. 1 at Churchill,” Gold said. “He lost to a monster of Pletcher's. I'm hopeful he breaks a little better next time and the experience of his first race will enable a better outcome. We remain very high on the horse.”

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Alpine Princess Arrives Just in Time at Spa

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In their first two starts, at Saratoga Race Course, horses owned by Full of Run Racing finished last and last. Sunday, members of the Louisville-based partnership posed for pictures in the winner's enclosure with the 2-year-old filly Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) they co-own with Madaket Stables.

A few minutes later, managing partner Dann Glick said he was starting to breath normally again.

In her second career start, a seven-furlong maiden special weight contest, Alpine Princesss made a wide late run under Manny Franco and scored by a head over Nikitis (Audible). Three-quarters of a length back in the charge to the wire was Caitlinhergreatness (Omaha Beach), who was a neck in front of Snow Dance (Commissioner), the early pacesetter.

“We expect a lot from this filly, but to win like that was fun,” Glick said. “She looked like she wants to go longer. We don't have sprinters. We look for horses that will go forward.”

That's what trainer Brad Cox sees in the bay out of the Curlin mare Le Moine. Cox said she is likely headed to a stakes in Kentucky this fall.

Full of Run Racing was formed in 2004 as a claiming outfit, Glick said. The current version, Full of Run Racing Too, which has 22 members, has a different approach, stocking the roster through sales.

“I needed to keep building and we built and we bought more 2-year-olds this year than we ever have. More yearlings and 2-year-olds,” Glick said.

The stable has eight horses in training, six with Cox, who it has worked with since 2012. Madaket came in as a partner after Full of Run acquired Alpine Princess for $190,000 at Keeneland September.

“Loved her from the start,” Glick said.

Alpine Princess was prepped by the races at the de Meric training center in Florida.

“They loved her. They said she was really straightforward,” Glick said. “We got her to Brad and his team and they right away said that she's good, that they liked her. Brad liked her enough to bring her up here. So we were tickled.”

Alpine Princess ended up third, beaten 9 1/2 lengths in her debut on July 23 at Saratoga.

“She ran OK. She didn't get away as well as we'd hoped,” Cox said. “She showed a lot this summer in her works at Churchill. That's why we brought her up here. She's been pretty steady since that first run. The goal was to get away a little better. She did. I think she really showed today with her race, coming off the turn as wide as she did and getting up late that she's asking for more ground based off her pedigree. We're excited about her moving forward.”

Alpine Princess reached the wire in 1:24.05 and paid $8.90 to win.

“We were obviously excited about her this summer to bring her up here,” Cox said. “They've got to show you something to put them on a van to bring them to Saratoga. Hoping she comes out in good order and we can move forward. We're going to look at a stakes next. Not sure which one, but we'll see.”

6th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-3, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:24.05, ft, head.
ALPINE PRINCESS (f, 2, Classic Empire–Le Moine, by Curlin) raced greenly to be a well-beaten third in her six-furlong debut at Saratoga July 23. Sent off at 3-1, the bay filly rated off the pace behind fractions of :22.54 and :45.63. She ranged up six wide into the stretch and closed relentlessly down the lane to get up in the final jump to win by a head over Nikitis (Audible). Alpine Princess was a $190,000 KEESEP yearling. Le Moine, a half-sister to graded-placed Another Miracle (American Pharoah), has a yearling filly by Mitole and was bred to Game Winner this year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $70,350.
O-Full of Run Racing Two and Madaket Stables LLC; B-Betz/DJ Stables/Peter V. Lamantia/Classic Empire Syndicate (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

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