Brad Cox

Rebel Goes to Timberlake in Classy Effort

Two turns? It turns out there's no problem. When Timberlake (c, 3, Into Mischief--Pin Up {Ire}, by Lookin At Lucky) finished a somewhat rank, then flat, fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November, questions swirled about his ability to get two turns. Trainer Brad Cox brushed the questions aside and let the horse do the talking. A freshened Timberlake, making his first start of the year in Oaklawn's GII Rebel S. Saturday, captured the $1.3-million race by a resounding two lengths over Kenny McPeek trainees Common Defense (Karakontie...

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Derby And Oaks Points Ripe On Graded Sunny Saturday At Oaklawn

The massive deep freeze which crippled the second half of Oaklawn Park's January cards seems like a distant memory, as weekend weather in Hot Springs looks to punch through the upper 60s and into the lower 70s. The sunshine will be a welcome sight with points intended for passage to the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks ripe for the picking.   Timberlake Favorite Choice in Rebel The Arkansas series for the colts features another running of the GII Rebel S., which brings together a field of 13. The...

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The Avengers: Five Americans Look To Take Back Saudi Cup

In the previous four runnings of the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, American-based horses have--surprisingly--passed the post in first on a single occasion while finishing second on each occasion. That 'victory' came in the much-discussed inaugural running in 2020, a result that seems likely to soon be overturned, albeit to the benefit of another American horse. So, even though the U.S. is the epicenter of world dirt racing, its five representatives this year arguably still have something to prove when a field of 14 loads the gate around 12:40 p.m. ET...

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The Kentucky Oaks Top 10 For Feb. 22

We have a new No. 1. Tarifa (Bernardini) beat a stellar field in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds to soar up the list to the top spot. We've dropped Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}), who has only had two three furlongs works so far this year, raising the possibility that she won't be ready for the GI Kentucky Oaks. We've also dropped Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) after a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Rachel Alexandra and Life Talk (Gun Runner), who was a disappointing sixth in the...

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Mystik Dan Confirmed for Arkansas Derby, Catching Freedom Possible

Trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed that GIII Southwest S. winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) is pointing for the GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 30. McPeek said Mystik Dan returned to the Fair Grounds shortly after his eight-length victory in the Southwest, which was postponed a week because of winter weather. According to McPeek, the 21-day return to the GII Rebel S. factored into McPeek's decision to train Mystik Dan up to the Arkansas Derby. McPeek originally sent Mystik Dan to the Fair Grounds to prepare for the Southwest after arctic temperatures, snow and...

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Deja Vu! Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Tarifa Best in Rachel Alexandra

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: a 3-year-old filly in the Godolphin blue captured the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds to earn 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. So far, Tarifa (f, 3, Bernardini--Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) is following the script laid out last year by Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) perfectly. Like her year-older fellow Godolphin homebred, she, too, was named a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut. In a replay of last year, she, too, won the Rachel Alexandra for her first graded...

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Vino Rosso's Tuscan Sky Stays Perfect, Defeats 'Rising Star' Nash

3rd-Fair Grounds, $59,150, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-17, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, sy, 2 lengths. TUSCAN SKY (c, 3, Vino Rosso--South Andros {SW, $207,125}, by Sky Mesa) facing a field scratched down to just two other runners, backed up a big figure in his Aqueduct debut, also over a muddy surface, Jan. 13 with a defeat here of 'TDN Rising Star' and GIII Lecomte S. runner up Nash (Medaglia d'Oro). Letting that runner go up to set an uncontested lead in what wound up a two-horse race, Tuscan Sky stalked...

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Friday's Insights: Fasig-Tipton Grad By Quality Road Unveiled At Gulfstream

8th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 3:37 p.m. ET. Rich Shermerhorn, a real estate developer and Upstate New York neighbor of trainer Chad Brown, began buying racehorses two years ago. He purchased BORED NO MORE (Quality Road) for $700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, which was the 10th highest yearling sold by that sire in 2022. The Brown trainee counts G3 UAE Oaks victress Nomorerichblondes (Hard Spun) as a half-sister, while dam SP Miss Luann (Unbridled's Song) is a full-sister to Catch My Eye, who is responsible for GI Gamely...

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TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for Feb. 8

Churchill Downs' ban of Bob Baffert and the decision by his owners to keep their horses with the trainer, even though that means they cannot run at Churchill, will affect not just the Derby. Though Baffert's group of 3-year-old fillies is not as deep or as impressive as his collection of 3-year-old colts, he does have some fillies that, in a normal year, would be Oaks candidates. He has GII Starlet S. winner Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon). But his best filly may be Kinza (Carpe Diem), who rocketed to...

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Second Chances: Cornishman 'Could Be a Horse That We Can Be Talking About Through the Season'

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Cornishman (c, 3, Curlin--Penwith, by Bernardini) came flashing home to finish a bang-up second sprinting on debut on the GIII Lecomte undercard at Fair Grounds Jan. 20. Off as the 3-1 second choice with his Brad Cox-trained stablemate Exploration (Curlin) receiving the bulk of the action at 3-2, the Godolphin homebred was bumped from both sides after exiting from post nine and trailed the field of 11...

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Champion 2-Year-Old Fierceness Leads 346 Triple Crown Nominations

2023's Eclipse champion 2-year-old Fierceness (City of Light) leads a list of 346 nominations to the 2024 Triple Crown according to a Tuesday release by the Kentucky Racing Communications Office. Last weekend's GIII Holy Bull S. third is one of 20 nominees owned by Repole Stables and one of 54 trained by Todd Pletcher to lead their respective categories. A further 18 horses were nominated by Bob Baffert and Brad Cox respectively. While the total number of nominees is down from last year, there are a record 47 potential runners...

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Timberlake Pointing for Rebel

'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief), winner of last fall's GI Champagne S., could potentially launch his sophomore season in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park Feb. 24. The Siena Farm and WinStar Farm colorbearer was last seen finishing a well-beaten fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 3. "He's pointing for it," trainer Brad Cox said. "We've got to see how our works go over the next several weeks, but he's doing well. Hopefully, we can get him there." Timberlake worked four furlongs in...

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