brad cox | Horse Racing Free Tips

Saturday’s Insights: City Of Light Colt On Verge Of Churchill Debut

11th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 5:58 p.m.
Consigned by Denali Stud at the '21 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale, CUSP (City of Light) went to OXO Equine for $725,000. Trained by Paulo Lobo, the bay colt's dam Swingit (Victory Gallop) also produced MGSW Travel Column (Frosted) and MGISP Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday).

He lines up opposite the widely-drawn WinStar homebred and Brad Cox trainee Paddington (Curlin), whose GISP dam Sea Island (Pulpit)–out of GISP Resort (Pleasant Colony)–counts GII Peter Pan S. hero Sightseeing as a full-brother. TJCIS PPS

5th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 1 1/16thT, 3:03 p.m.
Peter Brant's Double Dream (Curlin), from Chad Brown's shedrow, is out of Enchanted Rock (Giant's Causeway), who is also responsible for Grade I & Group 1 winner Verrazano (More Than Ready) and GII Risen Star S. victor El Padrino (Pulpit). Second dam GISW Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector), a full-sister to champion older mare & MGISW Queena, heads a female family which includes Grade I winners such as Serra Lake (Seattle Slew), Keen Ice (Curlin), Preservationist (Arch) and Olympiad (Speightstown). TJCIS PPS

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Cox Pointing Angel of Empire, Hit Show For Belmont

The prospective field for the GI Belmont S. picked up a pair of top contenders Monday when trainer Brad Cox confirmed that he is pointing Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) and Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) to the final leg of the Triple Crown. Neither has run since the GI Kentucky Derby, where Angel of Empire, the favorite in the race, finished third and Hit Show was fifth.

“They both had their first works back after the Derby on Sunday and we're getting them ready to go for the Belmont,” Cox said. “They looked great this morning and, hopefully, we'll get them back on the work tab on either Saturday or Sunday.”

Angel of Empire breezed a half-mile in :49.0 and Hit Show worked the same distance in :49.40. Both works were at Churchill Downs.

“I'm very happy with Angel of Empire and with the way he came out of the Derby,” the trainer said. “He ran hard and I feel like we saw that the first three, four days after the Derby. Since, he's bounced back well. It was the same thing with Hit Show. For a couple of days after the Derby he was tired. Both ran hard and well. For me, it was an easy decision to skip the Preakness and turn our attention toward the Belmont.”

Like all other trainers in the race, Cox won't know if his horses can handle the 12 furlongs until they try it on June 10.

“It is the great unknown, but with both I have confidence that they'll get it,” he said. “Angel of Empire is one that I always thought had enough speed to be involved. He doesn't necessarily have to be on the lead. I don't know who else is running yet, but I'm confident he'll break and be able to get involved early. With Hit Show, with what he showed us in the Kentucky Derby, I think he's another one who should break well and be up there. People have come to the conclusion that you don't want to be a deep, deep closer in the Belmont. That normally doesn't work out for you.”

Angel of Empire figures to be one of the favorites in the Belmont. He missed by just 1 1/2 lengths in the Derby as the 4-1 choice and before that won the GI Arkansas Derby. Hit Show started his year with a win in the GIII Withers S. and then finished second in the GII Wood Memorial S., losing by just a nose.

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Dazzling Blue Dazzles Once Again at Churchill

2nd-Churchill Downs, $127,840, Alw (NW2X)/Opt. Clm ($125,000), 5-19, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.28, ft, 8 3/4 lengths.
DAZZLING BLUE (f, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Violet {SW & MGSP, $237,356}, by Curlin) broke her maiden on debut last fall at Churchill Downs when she won by 4 1/2 lengths and then shipped to her trainer's winter base in December where she won the Letellier Memorial S. by 3 lengths at Fair Grounds before going to the bench. Off as the 4-5 favorite here, the bay filly seized the lead down the backstretch after a slow beginning. Rounding the far turn, Dazzling Blue set sail and into the stretch she dropped the hammer on previously unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Sunday Shoes (Pioneerof the Nile) to declare victory by 8 3/4 lengths. The winner's dam dropped a new colt by Bolt d'Oro Feb. 24. Sales History: $500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $205,920. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Juddmonte; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

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Caravel Continues Training Towards Royal Ascot

Two-time Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year and GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) continues to train at Churchill Downs following her victory in the $300,000 Unbridled Sidney S. on Kentucky Oaks Day. Owned in partnership by Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables, Caravel is likely to make her next start at Royal Ascot in the G1 King's Stand S. Tuesday, June 20.

The Brad Cox-trainee galloped about 1 3/8 miles Friday under exercise rider Fernando Espinoza. Caravel would be Cox's first starter at Royal Ascot.

“One of the reasons we brought her back at the age of six was to point towards Royal Ascot,” Cox said. “She was in the November Sale at Keeneland and we took her out. We'll see how Royal Ascot goes and hope to get her back to the Breeders' Cup.”

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