HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The depth of trainer Brad Cox’s older dirt horse division was on full display last weekend when First Mission won the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap with a Beyer Speed Figure of 109, the same day Just a Touch captured a Keeneland allowance with a Beyer of 104 to put himself in play for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga.
First Mission’s 109 Beyer equaled the top number put up in dirt races at a mile or more so far this year in North America. The effort came two weeks after Cox trainee Hit Show won the Group 1 Dubai World Cup.
“I think we’ve really got a good group of older horses,” said Cox.
Cox’s older horses include Highland Falls, the winner of last year’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup who is back in training after a break, fellow Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown, and the talented Most Wanted.
First Mission rallied from off the pace to win the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap by two lengths. The 5-year-old son of Street Sense races for his breeder, Godolphin.
“I was proud of his effort,” Cox said, also noting the strength of the field. “We always thought he was a big-time horse. I thought it was a big-time race, a big-time effort from him. Hopefully we can keep him at this level, keep him as good as he is right now, and we have a real shot at being competitive in Grade 1 races.”
Cox said the probable next start for First Mission is the Grade 1, $1 million Stephen Foster for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles June 28 at Churchill Downs. It’s a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“I think the Stephen Foster is the race that makes the most sense right now,” said Cox.
Hit Show is a 5-year-old by Candy Ride who is now 9 for 18 with earnings of $8.4 million. He is owned by Wathnan Racing.
“He came back from Dubai, is at Churchill training, and training every bit as well as before he went to Dubai,” Cox said. “I can’t see a reason to give him time off. We give horses time off when they need it and he’s not appearing as though he needs a break, so we’ll just keep marching forward with him.
“We’re just letting him train away, no hurry to run him. But I don’t see a reason to pull him out of training.”
Most Wanted, a 4-year-old by Candy Ride, was second to Skippylongstocking in the Grade 3 Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs in his last start March 8. Most Wanted earned a Beyer of 102.
“He’s going to go to the Alysheba,” said Cox.
The Grade 2, $750,000 race for 4-year-olds and up will be run at 1 1/16 miles on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Saudi Crown is coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oaklawn Mile, where he earned a 100 Beyer. The 5-year-old by Always Dreaming races for FMQ Stables.
“He’s training really well,” Cox said. “I think the [Steve Sexton] Mile is a race that is in play. That’s something that we may look at for him.”
The Grade 3, $400,000 stakes for 3-year-olds and up is May 26 at Lone Star Park.
Bishops Bay, who won the $145,000 American Pharoah overnight stakes for 4-year-olds and up last out at Oaklawn, is bound for New York. Cox said he is being pointed for the Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester on May 4 at Aqueduct.
Another overnight stakes winner at the Oaklawn meet, Kinetic, is being freshened and is scheduled to return to training in the summer.
Liberal Arts, who was third in the Fifth Season at Oaklawn, is on deck for the $200,000 Knicks Go overnight stakes May 3 at Churchill.
Instant Replay to ship to Churchill
Instant Replay, a talented 3-year-old trained by Cox, won the $200,000 Bathhouse Row on the Oaklawn Handicap undercard for Cox and was scheduled to ship to Churchill on Wednesday, the trainer said.
Instant Replay won the 1 1/8-mile race by three-quarters of a length and earned a Beyer of 91. Prior to the start, he was third in the Louisiana Derby.
Gary and Mary West bred and race Instant Replay, who is a son of Maximum Security. The Bathhouse Row win carried a Preakness berth, but right now plans for the horse – who would need to be nominated to the Triple Crown – are to point for the Grade 3, $400,000 Matt Winn for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles June 8 at Churchill.
“Ultimately it will come down to Mr. and Mrs. West and what they want to do, but I think right now we’re all kind of looking at the Matt Winn,” said Cox.
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