brad cox | Horse Racing Free Tips

Distaff’s Big Stars Do Battle in Azeri

Saturday's GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Park features several of the most prominent figures in the Distaff division each lining up to get their first graded stakes win of the 2022 season.

The reigning champion sprinter and winner of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) returns to the two-turn distance after spending much of her 2021 season at seven-furlongs. She's been plenty successful at this distance before, including a win the 2020 GI Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park and two third-place efforts in the GII Santa Monica S. and the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. in late summer 2020. Ce Ce has already catalogued career earnings of over $1.7m to date and keeps regular rider Victor Espinoza aboard for trainer Mike McCarthy. Her most recent start was a runner-up finish to the Bob Baffert-trained Merneith (American Pharoah) where she posted a career-high 101 Beyer Speed Figure, her second straight triple-digit figure. She adds Lasix back after nearly a year of racing without it.

Also adding Lasix again for the first time in a year is 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) who returns to the Azeri after a winning it to kick off her four-year-old campaign a year ago. Freshened since a last out sixth after tracking a brutal opening pace in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 6, Shedaresthedevil will surely look to use this race as she did last year to springboard herself into another successful season. That sixth-place effort was her only off-the-board finish in 2021, where she also posted four wins, each in graded stakes company along with a third behind Letruska in the GI Ogden Phipps S. No stranger to the 1 1/16-mile distance, her previous wins include the GIII Locust Grove S., the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. over GI winners Venetian Harbor (Munnings) and As Time Goes By (American Pharoah), and the GI La Troienne S. Jockey Florent Geroux retains the ride for trainer Brad Cox.

Standing in the shadow of both previously mentioned mares but a near millionaire herself is Pauline's Pearl (Tapit). The gray filly comes into the Azeri off of back-to-back wins in the Zia Park Oaks and the GIII Houston Ladies Classic, both at the 1 1/16-mile distance, as well as a second-place in the GIII Remington Park Oaks. As a 3-year-old last season, she took Oaklawn Park's richest race for fillies in the GIII Fantasy S. and spent nearly her entire season in graded stakes company where she only finished out of the money once, finished eighth behind Malathaat (Curlin) in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Joel Rosario rides after piloting her in her most recent start, and she also regains Lasix for trainer Steve Asmussen.

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Saturday Insights: Full Siblings to Vasilika, Point of Honor Debut

5th-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:50p.m. ET
After hitting an eye-catching $735,000 at Keeneland September two years ago, and still missing his reserve, Mystic Quest (Curlin) will go to post here for his breeders Siena Farm in partnership with Cash Asmussen. At the helm for the full brother to MGISP & GSW Point of Honor and half to GI Frizette S. winner Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) as well as two other stakes winners, Todd Pletcher sends out a colt carrying big expectations against a field of eight others from the far outside. This is the family of 10 other graded stakes horses including millionaire Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve). TJCIS PPs

12th-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 1mT, 5:43p.m. ET
With success running thick in the family, Klaravich Stables' $300,000 KEESEP procurement Growth Capital (War Front) will try to beat home a well-bred field of maidens in the night cap at Hallendale. His dam Room Service is half to $1.9 million KEENOV purchase Oscar Party (Dixie Union) and GSW Major Gain (More Than Ready). To Growth Capital's outside is stablemate in the Chad Brown barn, Thistle (Arrogate), who is the first foal of racing age for GSW High Ridge Road (Quality Road). The full-brother to MGISW Vasilika (Skipshot), Chasing the Crown, breaks from the outside of the field which also comprises of Father Red (Quality Road) who is half to GSW Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile) and Calumet homebred Double Clutch (Optimizer), whose dam claims GSW & MGSP Gear Jockey (Twirling Candy). TJCIS PPs

8th-OP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 4:45p.m. ET
Rigney Racing sends out their flashy $450,000 FTKSEL graduate Ludwig (Mastery) to hopefully make some beautiful noise in this maiden race. His dam's first to the races, the female family includes GSW & MGSP Gemswick Park (Speightstown) and the dam of G1SW Poet's Voice (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). TJCIS PPs

10th-OP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 5:49p.m. ET
Lundberg (Uncle Mo) is a $400,000 KEESEP graduate under the tutelage of Brad Cox, who sends out the colt for the partnership of Albaugh Family Stables and Donegal Racing. Dam Runway Ready (Mr. Greeley) is a half to GSW New York Central (Tapit) and GII Saratoga Special S. winner Corfu (Malibu Moon). This is the family of MGISW Peace Rules (Jules). Also in the field is $375,000 OBSMAR (:9 4/5) purchase Plausible Denile (Pioneerof the Nile), half-brother to three stakes horses including MGSW Lucy N Ethel (During). Trainer James Divito will send the grey to post after purchasing him as agent for owners Doubledown Stables. TJCIS PPs

6th-SA, $67k, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 6:05p.m. ET
By far the priciest of the notable debuters on Saturday, Ganadora (Quality Road) will carry the silks of Baoma Corporation to post as a $1 million score from the Keeneland September sale. Out of GSP Beloveda (Ghostzapper), who began her racing career in Poland before being imported to the States and recently changed hands for $510,000 at FTKFEB going to Gainesway, the filly is a half-sister to SP Mistress of Love (Scat Daddy) and two other winners including full-sister Hana Road. Through the second dam Mysterious Angel (Saint Ballado) there are at least 13 black-type earning runners. Bob Baffert sends Ganadora to the gates. TJCIS PPs

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Knicks Go Halter to be Auctioned for Charity

A halter worn by recently crowned 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) will be auctioned at Louisville Collegiate School's Gold Gala this Saturday, Feb. 26. Trainer Brad Cox donated the halter and autographed a photo of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner, which will be included in the package. Proceeds from the gala benefit Louisville Collegiate School.

The auction is open to the public with attendance at the gala not required to win. Click here for more information and to place bids on the halter or the other items available.

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Nyquist Filly Upsets Rachel Alexandra S.

Ike and Dawn Thrash's Turnerloose (Nyquist) sprung a 17-1 upset to put herself on the GI Kentucky Oaks trail while making her first start on dirt in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds. Away alertly, the dark bay hustled up to be in contention before settling back in a ground-saving fourth as the well-related and previously unbeaten Silverbulletday S. winner La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro) dictated terms with GSW Hidden Connection (Connect) hot on her heels through a :23.94 opening quarter. La Crete was pulled up sharply as the half went up in :48.18, plummeting to the back of the pack, leaving Hidden Connection in charge.

Turnerloose inched closer, but was instantly shuffled back again as a slew of rivals charged up on her outside. Florent Geroux was undeterred, sitting chilly atop the Brad Cox pupil turning for home. He swung his mount out two wide in the lane as Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) charged up alongside the pacesetter. Turnerloose was grinding along the outside and forged clear late to win by a half-length. Goddess of Fire held second and Awake at Midnyte (Nyquist) filled the show spot.

La Crete's owner Stonestreet Stable tweeted that the filly suffered a condylar fracture and is a good candidate for surgical repair.

“To be honest I didn't know if she could handle the dirt,” said trainer Brad Cox. “She worked well enough last fall. I gave her a little bit of a break. She worked well enough here at Fair Grounds. She tries hard. Always tries hard. We saw a better version of her today than we did in California [at the Breeders' Cup]. The two logical spots are the [GII] Fair Grounds Oaks or the [GI Central Bank] Ashland.”

A debut winner on the grass at Ellis Park July 16, Turnerloose romped by five lengths in the Aristocrat Juvenile Fillies S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 6. Setting the pace in Keeneland's grassy GII Jessamine S. Oct. 13, she was run down late by California Angel (California Chrome) and forced to settle for third and faded to 14th when last seen in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. at Del Mar Nov. 5.

Pedigree Notes:
Turnerloose is the fourth graded winner and one of seven black-type achievers for her young sire Nyquist. She is one of 247 black-type winners for her legendary broodmare sire A.P. Indy and the 117th graded scorer out of one of his daughters. The winner's unraced dam Goaltending is a daughter of Grade I winner Game Face (Menifee). The 11-year-old mare did not have a foal in 2020, but had an Arrogate filly in 2021 and a City of Light filly Jan. 12 of this year.

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