It was a disappointing day Oct. 25 for coach Brad Cox as his champion mare Idiomatic was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and retired with a knee damage. Nonetheless, the Louisville, Ky., native needed to flip the web page shortly as he nonetheless has three extra older horses prepping for the Nov. 2 World Championships card at Del Mar.
Highland Falls , Federal Choose , and Saudi Crown all hit the Churchill Downs monitor earlier than the dawn on a windy and chilly morning Oct. 26 for his or her closing Breeders’ Cup breezes.
Highland Falls was the final of the trio to hit the monitor, breezing at 7:30 a.m. ET, however shall be focusing on the largest prize: the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1).
Working in firm with 3-year-old Liberal Arts , a grade 3 winner who just lately joined the Cox barn after using the Kentucky Derby (G1) path with coach Robert Medina, Highland Falls accomplished 5 furlongs in 1:00 1/5.
“He appears to be doing as properly now as he ever has,” Cox stated. “He’s a Curlin, they usually get higher the extra they do, the older they get.”
Jockey Luis Saez is scheduled to trip within the Traditional after Flavien Prat, who will trip Sierra Leone within the Traditional, rode the colt in his Sept. 1 Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes (G1) victory. This was the second straight week through which Saez has breezed the horse and he likes what sees.
“I have been watching a whole lot of (his) races, I have been taking a look at him for awhile,” Saez stated. “He is a reasonably good horse and he appears to be like like he can go the space.”
The Jockey Membership Gold Cup was a breakthrough win for Highland Falls and confirmed how a lot he developed since his Jan. 13 allowance non-obligatory claiming victory at Truthful Grounds Race Course & Slots. With a document of 3-2-0 from six begins this season, his solely off-the-board end got here in his solely begin on the West Coast—his stakes debut—when fourth within the March 3 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park. With the Breeders’ Cup held at Del Mar, Cox stated delivery the horse again to California doesn’t concern him.
“He is a seasoned horse now, he was nonetheless flippantly raced at that time,” Cox stated. “He is undoubtedly improved and has extra seasoning below his belt and understands racing slightly greater than he did again in March.”
Federal Choose
One other horse gaining seasoning on the proper time for the Cox barn is Siena Farm and WinStar Farm’s Federal Choose, who’s focusing on the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dash (G1).
Federal Choose wins the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland
Exhibiting promise at age 3 final 12 months, the Military Mule gelding was fourth within the 2023 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) earlier than sitting on the bench for 11 months. After two allowance begins this summer time at Saratoga Race Course, Federal Choose added his title to the listing of high Breeders’ Cup prospects with a scintillating 5 1/2-length victory within the Oct. 4 Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.
Cox will try to duplicate that front-running rating, holding no secrets and techniques in regards to the technique.
“Pace is his weapon,” Cox stated. “I feel we see the very best of him when he is aggressively ridden. I do know there’s going to be another velocity within the race, however we’re both going to be in entrance of them or on high them if we get the chance.”
Along with his closing breeze Saturday, Cox made certain to not expend an excessive amount of of that flashy velocity. He clocked a half-mile in :48 2/5 by himself when the monitor opened at 5:30 a.m. and was shut down on the gallop out as soon as finishing the space.
“I shut him down after that, I did not need to do an excessive amount of with him,” Cox stated. “Tremendous happy with how he is doing.”
Saudi Crown
Simply moments earlier than Federal Choose breezed, Saudi Crown sped across the Churchill Downs oval with an essential 5 furlongs in 1:00.
The FMQ Stables’ colt was scratched from the Sept. 28 Ack Ack Stakes (G3), meant to be his closing prep for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile (G1), with a foot damage. He was taken to Lexington the place his foot was labored on by a podiatrist.
Saudi Crown wins the R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes at Ellis Park
“They did a fantastic job,” Cox stated. “The whole lot’s patched up, appears to be like nice, is holding collectively. I do not suppose will probably be a difficulty.”
Returning to the work tab at Keeneland Oct. 13, the 4-year-old son of All the time Dreaming has recorded his final two exercises at Churchill Downs and Cox is happy together with his progress.
“I used to be actually on the lookout for an excellent (work) as we speak and we actually bought it,” Cox stated. “On the finish of the day, he is bought to step up and do the operating. However I really feel like we have ready him to the very best of our skill given what we have needed to cope with the final six weeks with him.
“I am not involved with the horse’s health, however I did miss slightly little bit of time with him.”
Jockey Florent Geroux, who will trip within the Grime Mile, stated, “He felt nice to me” when requested in regards to the foot.
Due to the Ack Ack scratch, Saudi Crown enters the Breeders’ Cup off a close to three-month layoff and just one race in seven months since getting back from the Center East.
“I am not too frightened with him,” Geroux stated of the layoff. “He is a horse who runs superb contemporary, a few of his finest races have come off a couple of months layoff.”
Rattle N Roll, Tumbarumba Scratch From Fayette With Breeders’ Cup in Thoughts
Talking of layoffs, Fortunate Seven Secure and coach Kenny McPeek are hoping to tug off an inconceivable comeback with Rattle N Roll within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional.
Rattle N Roll wins the 2023 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs
The 5-year-old son of Join returned from a year-long layoff Sept. 28 within the Lukas Traditional Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. The nearer didn’t obtain a fast tempo forward of him however nonetheless got here on sturdy for third. McPeek had talked about that the Breeders’ Cup Traditional was on the radar ought to he win, but it surely seems he ran properly sufficient to justify touring to Del Mar.
Entered for the Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Saturday, Rattle N Roll was scratched and as a substitute labored a bullet 5 furlongs at Churchill Downs in :59 3/5, quickest of 39 employees on the distance.
Pre-entered because the second also-eligible for the Traditional, Rattle N Roll obtained excellent news Friday as Skippylongstocking opted to run within the Grime Mile as a substitute. Another Traditional dropout will open the final spot within the gate for him.
Additionally scratching from the Fayette for a run within the Breeders’ Cup is Wathnan Racing’s Tumbarumba , who labored a simple 4 furlongs below Saez in :49 1/5 in preparation for the Grime Mile.
Tumbarumba wins the Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park
“It was a upkeep work,” coach Brian Lynch stated. “We really feel like he is pretty much as good as we are able to have him going into it. He is not probably the most aggressive horse working by himself, however he appeared very comfy and had an excellent gallop out.”
After beginning the 12 months with a victory within the Jan. 27 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, the 4-year-old Oscar Efficiency gelding has completed second in 4 straight begins. His most up-to-date runner-up effort got here within the Ack Ack over a sloppy monitor, a situation Lynch stated he didn’t appear to love. Nonetheless, similar to in all his begins this 12 months, Tumbarumba confirmed his coronary heart and tenacity battling off his tempo rivals earlier than being caught late by the closing Three Approach .
“It is a fantastic asset in a race. In a horse, you like to see that type of struggle,” Lynch stated of the gelding’s competitiveness. “I really feel like he is been second sufficient occasions, perhaps he will have his activate an enormous day.”
4 of his 5 begins this season have are available a one-turn mile, however Lynch stated the two-turn mile configuration of one-mile races at Del Mar will play a profit to Tumbarumba.
“Along with his tactical velocity, he may lay up shut,” Lynch stated. “It is a quick stretch and if it does flip right into a canine struggle, you recognize he will offer you all the things he is bought to the wire.”
