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Breeders’ Cup Winner Essential Quality Officially Booked For Southwest Stakes

Trainer Brad Cox told the Daily Racing Form on Tuesday that Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality will make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 15. The other alternative had been the G2 Risen Star over nine furlongs at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 13, but the slightly shorter distance of the Southwest won out in the end.

“The right thing for him off the layoff would be the mile and a sixteenth,” Cox told drf.com.

The Godolphin homebred son of Tapit is undefeated in three career starts, and has been working steadily at the Fair Grounds since late December. Essential Quality is expected to be named the Champion 2-Year-Old of 2020 at Thursday's Eclipse Awards ceremony.

Hidden Scroll Strolls Home in First Start for Cox

Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off his 14-length debut win and 104 Beyer at Gulfstream two years ago, Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) disappointed as the favorite in both the 2019 GI Florida Derby and GII Fountain of Youth and only managed one other win during his nine-race tenure in two seasons for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The former Juddmonte runner was always highly regarded, but frequently tried his connections with behavioral issues which were never more apparent than when going to the Gulfstream gate last January after an eight-month layoff. He became fractious, lost his rider after being loaded in the gate, and was scratched by the stewards. He flashed his ability next out in March with a second double-digit win and a 102 Beyer, but didn't hit the board in four other starts last year.

Entered in last year's Keeneland November sale, Hidden Scroll sold to his new connections for $525,000 as further evidence of the latent ability believed to be bubbling beneath the surface. New conditioner Brad Cox tuned him up with a four-furlong bullet move at Oaklawn Jan. 17 in :47 2/5 (1/125).

Hammered down to 1-2 for his 5-year-old debut, Hidden Scroll broke smoothly and was shuffled back to midpack after steadying slightly in traffic behind a first quarter in :21.77. He was eager and hard held by Florent Geroux, then let go after a half in :46.04 around the six path coming off the turn. The eye-catching move sent him straight to the front and he strolled home a facile winner under a hand ride. Royal Daaher (Daaher) chased him home, 2 1/4 lengths behind in second.

Cox, considered the favorite to be named the outstanding trainer at this coming week's Eclipse awards, had a big day Saturday with another horse he also turned around: his Knicks Go (Paynter) won the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S.

Hidden Scroll's unraced dam, Sheba Queen, was sold for $7,500 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale and shipped to Turkey for two years before returning to the U.S. in 2019. She was bred to Mendelssohn for this term after delivering a Flintshire (GB) colt in Turkey in 2018 that also came stateside. Sheba Queen is out of French Group 1 winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki) and is a half to MGSW Starformer (Dynaformer) from the extended family of Juddmonte homebreds Bonny South (Munnings), a GSW & GISP runner of 2020, and Sun Path (Munnings), fourth in last week's Silverbulletday S., who are also in the Cox barn.

7th-Oaklawn, $85,000, Alw, 1-24, (NW3L), 4yo/up, 6f, 1:11.89, my, 2 1/4 lengths.
HIDDEN SCROLL (h, 5, Hard Spun–Sheba Queen, by Empire Maker) Lifetime Record: 10-3-0-1, $155,007. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Marc Detampel; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. *$525,000 4yo '20 KEENOV.

The post Hidden Scroll Strolls Home in First Start for Cox appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sunday’s Insights: Hidden Scroll Gets Fresh Start for Brad Cox

8th-Gulfstream Park, $50K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, post time: 3:42 p.m. ET
RICHEBOURG (Curlin), an $800,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Alpha Delta Stable, kicks off her career for Chad Brown. Produced by a half-sister to MGISW Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet), she is a half-sister to GI Triple Bend S. winner Denman's Call (Northern Afleet). Scarlett Lace (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to ill-fated champion sprinter Points Offthebench (Benchmark), debuts for Brian Lynch. She RNA'd for $500,000 at Keeneland September. TJCIS PPs

7th-Oaklawn Park, $85K, Alw, N3L, 4yo/up, 6f, post time: 5:09 p.m. ET
'TDN Rising Star' HIDDEN SCROLL (Hard Spun) makes his highly anticipated return to the races for new connections after bringing $525,000 from Marc Detampel as a horse of racing age at last year's Keeneland November Sale. Formerly campaigned by his breeder Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bill Mott, the bay's form is highlighted by a pair of blowout, double-digit length victories and triple-digit Beyers, but little went right in his four most recent trips to the post, including a trio of turf tries in New York, finishing fifth last time at Saratoga Aug. 1. The 2019 GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. fourth-place finisher fired a four-furlong warning shot for Brad Cox in :47 2/5 (1/125) at Oaklawn Jan. 17. TJCIS PPs

8th-Oaklawn Park, $84K, Alw, N1X, 3yo, f, 6f, post time: 5:40 p.m. ET
ABROGATE (Outwork), a runaway front-running debut winner for Steve Asmussen at Churchill Downs Nov. 12, takes on winners for the first time. The runner-up that day Zoom Up (Upstart) has since won two straight, including a Fair Grounds optional claimer in her two-turn debut earlier this week. The Alex and JoAnn Lieblong colorbearer, favored at 8-5 on the morning line, gets first-time Lasix. She was the co-fourth most expensive yearling of 66 from Outwork's first crop to change hands, bringing $270,000 at Keeneland September. TJCIS PPs

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Joe Talamo Tests Positive For COVID-19, Off Mounts At Oaklawn

Jockey Joe Talamo has been taken off his six mounts on Friday's opening day card at Oaklawn Park, reports the Daily Racing Form, after a 6:00 a.m. rapid test returned a positive result for COVID-19.

Talamo was showing no symptoms, according to his agent Jake Romans, and had tested negative on Monday.

Oaklawn's requirements for outside jockeys include two negative PCR COVID-19 tests within five days, with the second to be taken on race day.

Talamo was named on Moonlight Strike in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., and will be replaced by Ramon Vazquez.

Romans said he expects Talamo won't return to the saddle until Feb. 5. Talamo was named on six horses Saturday and six horses Sunday, as well.