Tag: Essential Quality

Cox-Trained ‘Future Stars’ Log Final Workouts Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup

With one week remaining until “Future Stars Friday” at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, trainer Brad Cox's 2-year-old trio of Abarta (Juvenile Turf), Aunt Pearl (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Essential Quality (Juvenile) logged their final works on Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

Godolphin's undefeated $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (Grade I) winner Essential Quality was the first of the Cox workers at 9 a.m. (all times Eastern). With Florent Geroux aboard, Essential Quality worked five furlongs in 1:01 outside of Flurry Racing's multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood. The duo clipped through early fractions of :12.2 and :24.1, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Moments later, Donegal Racing and Newton Anner Stud Farm's $200,000 Bourbon (GII) runner-up Abarta worked a half-mile in :47.60 outside of Juddmonte Farm's stakes winner Set Piece (GB). Abarta breezed through splits of :11.60, :23.80 and :35 with a five-furlong gallop out of 1:00.40.

Geroux returned to the track about 10 minutes later aboard Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber and The Elkstone Group's $150,000 Jessamine Stakes (GII) winner Aunt Pearl (IRE) and worked a half-mile in :48.60 outside unraced 2-year-old filly Palm Cottage. Aunt Pearl started two lengths behind her workmate and worked through fractions of :24.80 and :36.80.

“We have some really nice 2-year-olds in our barn this year,” Cox said. “A lot of them have already shown early promise. Essential Quality is growing up well. He's continuing to learn and I'm very pleased with how he's progressing. He has a ton of raw talent which he's shown in both of his starts. We added blinkers to him over the summer to help him focus a little bit more and they've really helped. We have experience around two turns and we have experience at Keeneland, which is always helpful. It's 1 1/16 miles, so it's a short stretch. You need to be in position when you turn for home.

“Abarta had a really nice late kick in the Bourbon to run second. He didn't have the best of trips but really showed some adversity that afternoon. I think it's good he has already run well over that course.

“Aunt Pearl acted like she could really run at the start. She and Essential Quality were two of them that really jumped out to us early in their training and showed they have some ability. The good ones kind of do that – they'll let you know there is a lot of talent there. Given the pedigree we were optimistic she'd be able to carry her speed around two turns. We thought about taking her to Saratoga over the summer but when Churchill's condition book came out I thought it might be better to keep her at home. It's turned out really well so far.”

Also on the Friday work tab was trainer Dale Romans trio of juvenile contenders: Girl Daddy (four furlongs, :48.20), Sittin On Go (four furlongs, :47.40) and Smiley Sobotka (four furlongs, :47.60). Trainer Mark Casse also worked Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) contender Spanish Loveaffair four furlongs in :48.60.

More than two inches of rain fell in the Louisville area on Thursday and it caused several trainers to alter their training for their Breeders' Cup contenders. There are 27 Breeders' Cup contenders scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs (with race): Arklow (Turf), Art Collector (Dirt Mile); Beau Recall (Mile), Bell's the One (Filly & Mare Sprint), By My Standards (Classic), Casa Creed (Mile), Crazy Beautiful (Juvenile Fillies), Factor This (Mile), Global Campaign (Classic), Got Stormy (Turf Sprint), Harvey's Lil Goil (Filly & Mare Turf), Hog Creek Hustle (Sprint), Knicks Go (Dirt Mile), Lady Kate (Distaff), Manny Wah (Sprint), Monomoy Girl (Distaff), Mr Freeeze (Dirt Mile), Mr Money (Dirt Mile), Owendale (Dirt Mile), Sally's Curlin (Filly & Mare Sprint), Sconsin (Filly & Mare Sprint), Silver Dust (Dirt Mile), Simply Ravishing (Juvenile Fillies), Swiss Skydiver (Distaff/Classic), Title Ready (Classic), Tom's d'Etat (Classic), War of Will (Dirt Mile).

In total, there are 43 Breeders' Cup contenders based at Churchill Downs and Trackside Louisville. That is the most of any location pre-entered into this year's event. Next is Keeneland with 39 contenders followed by 38 international runners, 25 from Belmont Park and 21 based at Santa Anita.

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‘It’s Hard To Put Into Words’: Cox Grateful For Career-Boosting Champion Monomoy Girl

According to trainer Brad Cox, champion Monomoy Girl's is better this year than she was two years ago. The 2018 Eclipse Award winner returned from multiple setbacks and nearly 18 months away from the races to win this season's Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs, and she's back in next Saturday's G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff hoping for a repeat of her victory in the 2018 edition.

The 5-year-old daughter of Tapizar gave Cox his first Grade 1 win in the Ashland in April of 2018. Since then, even without Monomoy Girl in his barn for the entire 2019 season, Cox's career has skyrocketed; he has now won 15 Grade 1 races as a trainer.

“It's hard to put into words what she means to me,” Cox said on Wednesday's Breeders' Cup teleconference. “Monomoy Girl put us in a position to have an opportunity to have eight, maybe nine horses in the Breeders' Cup this year. Horses like her definitely kickstart your career and get you to a different level.”

Cox trains the potential favorites in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Essential Quality and Aunt Pearl.

Essential Quality, a 2-year-old son of Tapit owned by Godolphin, won the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 3.

“I think the sky's the limit with this horse,” Cox said. “He's had a race over the Keeneland track, he trained there a good bit of the summer, and he's had two nice works since his last race… I'm hoping he gets a good trip and he'll be in the mix.”

Aunt Pearl, a 2-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega, set a track record in the G2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland last out.

“She's a very fast filly who's able to carry her speed around two turns,” said Cox. “She had a really, really nice work last Friday at Churchill.”

In the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Cox may be represented by both Owendale and Knicks Go.

A Grade 1 winner at two, the now-4-year-old Knicks Go was transferred to Cox's stable over the winter. He's won a pair of allowance races this season, first at Oaklawn in February and last out at Keeneland, setting a track record on Oct. 4.

“We're 100 percent committed with Knicks Go,” Cox said. “He had a setback and minor surgery after the race in February, and there was talk of retiring him… When he came back he trained extremely well just like last winter, and he had his three-other-than condition. We took advantage of that at Keeneland, but we didn't expect him to break the track record. Obviously he loves Keeneland. Before that race, it never crossed my mind to run him in the Breeders' Cup. But after that performance… he has early speed and with the short stretch, I think he'll be a factor.”

The trainer isn't sure whether Owendale will start in the Breeders' Cup. The 4-year-old son of Into Mischief was most recently second in the G3 Pimlico Special, and may alternatively target the G1 Clark at the end of the Churchill Downs November meet.

“Owendale worked well with Monomoy Girl last week, and I feel like he's doing well,” Cox said. “If we don't land in the Dirt Mile, we'll go in the Clark.”

Cox's other Breeders' Cup entrants are: Abarta (Juvenile Turf), Beau Recall (Mile), Factor This (Mile), and Arklow (Turf).

In terms of Monomoy Girl, the mare has been entered in the Nov. 8 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Cox left the door open, however, when asked if she might return to race again in 2021.

“A lot of Monomoy Girl's future depends on her performance on Breeders' Cup day,” Cox said. “It was a long road, we had a couple of setbacks in '19, and took a lot from our staff and for everybody involved with her to get her back to compete and to win a Grade 1. We feel like she's better this year than she was in '18.”

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Busy Friday At Churchill Downs Sees 11 Breeders’ Cup Contenders Log Penultimate Workouts

On a busy Friday morning beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, several Breeders' Cup contenders logged their penultimate published workouts prior to the season-ending championships on Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland.

Breeders' Cup contenders that worked Friday morning at Churchill Downs included the following horses:

Horse Trainer Distance, Time Breeders' Cup Race
Abarta Brad Cox Four Furlongs, :48.40 Juvenile Turf
Aunt Pearl Brad Cox Five Furlongs, 1:00.80 Juvenile Fillies Turf
Bell's the One Neil Pessin Five Furlongs, 1:00.40 Filly & Mare Sprint
Emro Brad Cox Five Furlongs, 1:00.80 Juvenile Fillies Turf
Essential Quality Brad Cox Six Furlongs, 1:13 Juvenile
Girl Daddy Dale Romans Five Furlongs, 1:00.80 Juvenile Fillies
Got Stormy Mark Casse Four Furlongs, :47.20 Turf Sprint
Mr Money Bret Calhoun Five Furlongs, :58.80 Dirt Mile
Silver Dust Bret Calhoun Five Furlongs, :1:00.20 Dirt Mile
Sittin On Go Dale Romans Five Furlongs, 1:00.40 Juvenile
War of Will Mark Casse Five Furlongs, :59.80 Dirt Mile

The action began early Friday at 5:25 a.m. (all times Eastern) as 2019 Preakness Stakes (GI) winner War of Will worked with jockey Declan Carroll in the saddle. The duo clipped through fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.80. They continued galloping out strongly around the clubhouse turn and completed six furlongs in 1:12.20, seven furlongs in 1:24.80 and were up one-mile in 1:38.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“I was just the passenger along for the ride,” said Carroll, whose father, David, is Casse's assistant trainer. “I've always loved how this horse trains over the dirt. He's very versatile and can run on dirt or turf but he's always trained great over the dirt.”

War of Will previously finished third in the $1 million Woodbine Mile (GI) over the turf. This will be War of Will's first dirt try since last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) where he finished a disappointing ninth.

In the next set, the Carroll family continued their eventful morning as the matriarch of the family, Kim, worked recent $150,000 Franklin County (GIII) winner Got Stormy through splits of :11.80, :23.20 and :34.80. Got Stormy is possible to take on males in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (GI). She finished second in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile (GI).

It was a typical busy morning for Cox barn as he breezed his first of four Breeders' Cup contenders at 5:30 a.m. – Godolphin's $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (GI) winner Essential Quality. The colt, with Florent Geroux up, started his work one length behind multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood through splits of :13.20, :36.80, :48.80 and 1:00.60. Essential Quality finished even with Mr. Misunderstood at the wire and the duo galloped out together in 1:26.40.

“He seems like he's really matured over the summer into where he is now,” Geroux said. “He's one of those horses where he keeps getting better as he gets more experience.”

Geroux had the next couple of sets off from working horses for Cox but returned to the track at 7:30 a.m. to breeze Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber and The Elkstone Group's undefeated $150,000 Jessimine (GII) winner Aunt Pearl. The two-time winner worked outside of Kueber Racing's $398,000 Untapable Stakes winner Emro, who had jockey Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle. The duo worked in tandem and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80.

Emro, who is named after owner Rick Kueber's daughter Emerson, broke her maiden in front-running fashion at Ellis Park prior to closing form more than seven lengths off the pace in the 6 ½-furlong Untapable.

“She's pretty versatile she can run out front or can come from off the pace,” Kueber said. “There's a lot of speed in the race. She's certainly has the pedigree to run long.”

Cox will be a special guest Friday on “Inside Churchill Downs” to talk about his nine Breeders' Cup entrants and other stable stars. The one-hour program will air at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7 in Louisville or online at www.espnlouisville.com.

Also donning the Friday work tab was Calhoun's duo of Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm's multiple Grade III winner and recent $100,000 Ack Ack (GIII) hero Mr. Money and Tom Durant's gutsy three-time graded stakes champion Silver Dust.

Mr. Money was the first of Calhoun's workers Friday and recorded the fastest five-furlong move of the day out of 44 horses. With Gabriel Saez in the irons, the fleet-footed Mr. Money cruised through early fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.80. He continued to gallop out swiftly around the turn through six furlongs in 1:11.60, seven-eighths in 1:25.40 and finished one-mile in 1:40.20.

“It was kind of an almost must-win situation in the Ack Ack to get him back on track,” Calhoun said. “Mentally I think it was good for him and I can tell a difference with his training. He seems happier after the race. He hasn't had a lot go right for him this year in his races so coming into the race off a win is crucial.”

Silver Dust, a six-time winner for Calhoun, breezed with jockey Adam Beschizza in the irons through fractions of :11.60, :23.40,  and :35.60.

“He's sort of been a challenging horse his entire career,” Calhoun said of the 6-year-old son of Tapit. “He's continued to get better mentally and he's been more consistent with age. I know it's in him to come out of his shell.”

Following the 7:30 a.m. track renovation break, recent $500,000 Derby City Distaff (GI) winner Bell's the One continued her march to the Filly & Mare Sprint with jockey Corey Lanerie. Per usual, Bell's the One began her work three lengths behind stablemate Grove Daddy and worked in :25.40 and :37.20. Bell's the One finished two lengths in front of Grove Daddy at the wire and galloped out around the clubhouse turn in 1:13.20.

“She likes to have a target in front of her, so we typically work her this way,” Pessin said. “Her race against Serengeti Empress (in the Derby City Distaff) was so thrilling. She dug in really hard that day to get up just in time.”

The final two Breeders' Cup works of the morning came at 9 a.m. from Albaugh Family Stable's duo of Sittin On Go and Girl Daddy. Sittin On Go, the 24-1 upset winner of the $200,000 Iroquois (GIII), worked with exercise rider Faustino Herrarte aboard through swift early eighth-mile fractions of :11.40, :22.40, :34.80 and :47.

Moments later, $200,000 Pocahontas (GIII) winner Girl Daddy breezed with jockey Joe Talamo up through splits of :11.80, :23.80 and :48.40. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.60.

Saturday's work tab at Churchill Downs is expected to include at least 13 Breeders' Cup contenders. Below are the scheduled workers:

Horse Trainer Race
Arklow Brad Cox Turf
Beau Recall Brad Cox Mile
By My Standards Bret Calhoun Classic
Crazy Beautiful Kenny McPeek Juvenile Fillies
Factor This Brad Cox Mile
Global Campaign Stan Hough Classic
Knicks Go Brad Cox Dirt Mile
Monomoy Girl Brad Cox Distaff
Mr Freeze Dale Romans Dirt Mile/Classic
Sally's Curlin Dale Romans Filly & Mare Sprint
Simply Ravishing Kenny McPeek Juvenile Fillies
Swiss Skydiver Kenny McPeek Distaff/Classic
Tom's d'Etat Al Stall Jr. Classic

 

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BC Workers Out in Full Force at Churchill

MGISW War of Will (War Front) kicked off the Breeders’ Cup action Friday morning at Churchill Downs. With jockey Declan Carroll in the irons, the bay went in fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.80. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20, seven furlongs in 1:24.80 and a mile in 1:38.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. War of Will has made all three of his starts this season on turf, most recently finishing third in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, but is being pointed for the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“I was just the passenger along for the ride,” said Carroll. “I’ve always loved how this horse trains over the dirt. He’s very versatile and can run on dirt or turf but he’s always trained great over the dirt.”

Next up from the Mark Casse barn was War of Will’s MGISW stablemate Got Stormy (Get Stormy), who was second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile last term, but is pointing for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this season. With Kim Carroll aboard, the chestnut went in splits of :11.80, :23.20 and :34.80.

Brad Cox breezed four Breeders’ Cup contenders, including GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity S. hero Essential Quality (Tapit), who is pointing to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. With Florent Geroux up, the Godolphin runner started his work one length behind multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood (Archarcharch) through splits of :13.20, :36.80, :48.80 and 1:00.60. Essential Quality finished even with Mr. Misunderstood at the wire and the duo galloped out together in 1:26.40.

“He seems like he’s really matured over the summer into where he is now,” Geroux said. “He’s one of those horses where he keeps getting better as he gets more experience.”

Geroux also breezed undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf contender worked in company with Emro (Point of Entry), covering five panels in 1:00.80 (22/44).

Also on the worktab were MGSW duo of Mr. Money (Goldencents) and Silver Dust (Tapit), both of whom are scheduled to run in the Dirt Mile. Mr. Money breezed a best-of-44 five panels in :58.80. With Gabriel Saez in the irons, the bay cruised through early fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.80.

“It was kind of an almost must-win situation in the Ack Ack to get him back on track,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “Mentally I think it was good for him and I can tell a difference with his training. He seems happier after the race. He hasn’t had a lot go right for him this year in his races so coming into the race off a win is crucial.”

Silver Dust worked with jockey Adam Beschizza in the irons through fractions of :11.60, :23.40, and :35.60 and completed five furlongs in 1:00.20 (9/44).

“He’s sort of been a challenging horse his entire career,” Calhoun said of the 6-year-old son of Tapit. “He’s continued to get better mentally and he’s been more consistent with age. I know it’s in him to come out of his shell.”

GI Derby City Distaff heroine Bell’s the One (Majesticperfection) continued her preparations for the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint Friday, working five panels in company in 1:00.40 (11/44) with jockey Corey Lanerie up.

“She likes to have a target in front of her, so we typically work her this way,” conditioner Neil Pessin said. “Her race against Serengeti Empress (Alternation) [in the Derby City Distaff] was so thrilling. She dug in really hard that day to get up just in time.”

Dale Romans sent out his contenders for the juvenile dirt races Friday morning, starting with the 2-year-old colt Sittin On Go (Brody’s Cause), winner of the GIII Iroquois S. With exercise rider Faustino Herrarte aboard, he went in :11.40, :22.40, :34.80 and :47. Moments later, GIII Pocahontas S. winner Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) breezed with jockey Joe Talamo up through splits of :11.80, :23.80 and :48.40. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.60.

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