brad cox | Horse Racing Free Tips

Letter to the Editor: The Real Reason for the Negativity

During the most recent “Let's Talk” Podcast put on by the TDN, Eclipse Award winning trainer Brad Cox stated, “I think there's a lot of negativity around the game and if we want to draw new people in, we should probably try to kill it with the negativity, if we could, and promote the game.”

I completely agree with this sentiment, and I do think most racing publications do try to promote and showcase the good of the sport along with the bad. I know at ThoroFan we try to do that in our attempt to both bring in new fans and be a central voice for the fans in general in this great game.

However, to be able to “kill it with the negativity,” as Cox states, then it must be the industry and its members that provide us with that avenue to do so. It is very hard for anyone to really promote the positive in the game, when such a glaring an incident as the one that took place at Turf Paradise has been met with barely a whisper by the industry itself.

The fact that Creative Plan was even allowed to start in his last race at Turf Paradise shows us how broken, at times, this system really is in providing for the health and well-being of the horse above all else. In hearing about his story, there is plenty of blame to go around on all sides of this. The ultimate result is always the same, though, and that is a horse unnecessarily being forced to lose his life for this sport because of the sheer ineptitude of the very people that are supposed to be entrusted to protect them.

I have heard all about the difficulties in being able to hire people and vets out at Turf Paradise. I do not know all the particulars of this, but (and I hate to have to say this) the basic fact is if you cannot provide the necessary means to ensure the health and welfare of the horses at your facility YOU DO NOT RACE!!!!

Therefore, I would call on the Arizona State Racing Commission to immediately suspend the license of Turf Paradise to conduct racing until such a time as they can prove they have the staffing and infrastructure in place to safely do so.

To the horsemen's groups, both Arizona and National, that have apparently stayed completely silent on this whole issue. What is it going to take before you back up your words about improving the integrity of the sport with proper actions? When will you actually police your own to help ensure that this type of scenario never happens again? What is it going to take to finally put the horse above all else to continue to allow your members to enjoy and prosper ethically and responsibly in this sport???

I would love nothing more than to kill it with the negativity. All I, and so many others, are waiting for is for the industry and its members to kill it with the excuses as to why it can't be better.

Bryan Langlois, DVM
Past-President, PVMA
Chair, Board of Directors, Animal Care PA
Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Thorofan
AVC 2005

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Munnings Colt Oh ‘Zo’ Good at Oaklawn

Sent off the 39-10 second choice behind even-money Barossa (Into Mischief), Barry and Joni Butzow's Zozos (Munnings) sat a tracking trip and shot clear from the market leader to become yet another 'TDN Rising Star' Friday at Oaklawn Park.

Making his first start for Rodolphe Brisset, having previously been trained by Bob Baffert, Barossa–a latest distant third in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity–showed the most early interest, but Florent Geroux aboard Zozos would not allow that rival to steal away on an easy lead. Held right at Barossa's flank, Zozos was switched off nicely through a half in :48.92 and gained inches on the front-runner without being asked on the turn. Asked to win his race at the quarter pole, Zozos displayed a dazzling turn of foot to blow the race wide open, covering his final 2 1/2 furlongs in a very sharp :30.15 seconds, with a final sixteenth of a mile in an excellent :6.06 to score decisively and with apparently something in reserve.

Zozos was having his first start around two turns Friday and was shipping in from New Orleans, where he posted a half-length victory in a six-furlong Fair Grounds maiden Jan. 23. Zozos is the ninth 'Rising Star' for Munnings, who has also been represented this season by 'Rising Star' Shahama, last seen easily taking the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan in late January.

The Butzows acquired the dam of Zozos for $57,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September and raced her to nine victories and eight minor placings from 32 starts for earnings north of $233,000. Papa Forest is due to another Coolmore stallion, Classic Empire, for 2022.

8th-Oaklawn, $100,000, Alw (NW1$X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-11, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.40, ft, 10 1/4 lengths.
ZOZOS, c, 3, by Munnings
1st Dam: Papa's Forest, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Dixie Sue, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Barbara Sue, by Big Spruce
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $91,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Barry & Joni Butzow (KY); T-Brad H Cox.

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TDN’s ‘Let’s Talk’ Tackles the Challenges Facing Trainers

The TDN's 'Let's Talk'–a podcast series featuring TDN's Christina Bossinakis and TVG's on-air analyst Gabby Gaudet, offers candid discussion on personal, and sometimes sensitive, topics that are often uncomfortable for many to speak about in an open forum.

The latest edition presents a trio of successful trainers–New York's David Donk, Ron Moquett, who is principally based at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs and Kentucky horseman Brad Cox, who was honored with his second Eclipse Award as the nation's leading trainer at the awards ceremony held at Santa Anita Park Thursday.

It can be argued that trainers are the lightning rods of the racing industry. All too often they find themselves at the epicenter of a media storm, be it for a tremendous run of success or conversely, for a misstep. However, whether it is drawing accolades or condemnation, trainers all too often are the figures that attract the collective eye of the industry, sometimes to the detriment of the overall health of the sport.

“I think there's a lot of negativity around the game and if we want to draw new people in, we should probably try to kill it with the negativity, if we could, and promote the game,” said Cox.

Not helping the issue, the federal indictments handed down to an uncomfortably long list of trainers and veterinarians for the sale and use of performance-enhancing drugs also made the topic of doping a hot-button issue. And all levels of horsemen and women have felt the ripple effect stemming from those censures.

“They've painted this picture that everyone out there is trying to cheat and I just don't believe that,” added Cox. “I know what goes on in our barn. I think most barns are clean. I mean there are cameras in barns. There weren't cameras in barns 20, 25, 30 years ago.”

Also lighting up the headlines recently, a number of trainers continue to face the harsh reality of owners failing or delaying payment of their bills, resulting in a trickle-down effect that seeps into many other areas of the industry. While stable size and quality of stock may vary greatly between operations, the great equalizer for all is the necessity for trainers to ensure they receive proper compensation for their services.

“I'm in New York, I don't have the best horses. I have a lot of New York-breds, a lot of small-time owners. I don't have anyone that goes to the sales and spends a lot of money. But when I get someone new, I just tell them, I'm adamant about one thing…that I get paid on time,” explained Donk.

In truth, contemporary trainers have to wear many hats to succeed in the current century, having to master a variety of areas, including horsemanship, business and client relations. However, despite the individual size and scope of each barn, trainers typically face many of the same stark realities as their peers, which is ultimately the great unifier in the profession.

“I claimed a horse off Brad last week, but I cheered for him like crazy in the Pegasus [World Cup with Knicks Go],” admitted Moquett. “We're competing but I know what he goes through so I'm on his side, regardless. You're going to have an opportunity to be around people that are going through the same exact thing as you are. Good times makes acquaintances. Going through the same hard times makes friends. We've all been fired. we've all been taken advantage of. We've all been disrespected. We have that in common. The competitive, freaky side of us can always be put off for a little bit of time to appreciate that we all went through this together.”

To watch the complete podcast, click here and for the audio only version of 'Let's Talk,' click here.

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No Surprise Here: Knicks Go is 2021’s Horse of the Year

Already named champion older dirt male Thursday, Knicks Go (Paynter) finished off Eclipse Award night with one more big win as he was crowned Horse of the Year for a 2021 campaign that saw him rack up $7,324,140 in earnings with five wins from seven starts, capped off with a convincing gate-to-wire score in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic for Korea Racing Authority and trainer Brad Cox. The grey, who stands this year at Taylor Made, was bred in Maryland by Angie Moore.

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