The most lucrative race on January 14 at Oaklawn Park is the $150,000 Season Five Bet for older horses at one mile, though perhaps the most intriguing is the fourth season, the entry-level $104,000 stipend for the younger ones. 3-year-olds at the same distance have attracted an eight-person school, including 6-5 favorite programs and 1st grade placement Verification in progress .
From the first case of Triple Crown 2018 winner justification , Verification made its debut in 2023 for two-time Eclipse Award-winning coach Brad Cox and a distinguished group of owners including Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor. Verifying, purchased for $775,000 at Keeneland’s September 2021 Annual Sale from Hunter Valley Farm shipment, is the champion’s half-brother and winner Win more shares of Oaklawn Midnight Bisou .
Verification could be among dozens of Kentucky Derby leads for Cox and already four qualifying spots after finishing second in Champagne Stakes (G1) on October 1 at Aqueduct race track in the Belmont At The Big A meeting. He finished a tough sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Minor (G1) at 1 1/16 mile on November 4 at Keeneland. In addition to Verification, Cox is also scheduled to start Gary and Mary West’s light race Judo during Wednesday’s race on Saturday (1:57 p.m. CT). Both horses have been trained this winter at Fair Grounds Racecourse & Slots.
“I have assigned subsidized races with both horses,” Cox said. “Verified after the Breeders’ Cup, I just had to back him up a little bit and get him up and on. He’s doing great. Judo, I’m just having a hard time getting a race to win. got him and this is where we found ourselves. Hopefully we’ll both take that next step to give us the confidence to try the stakes in the near future.”
Verified made three starts last year, winning his career debut on August 27 at Racecourse Saratoga. After rising to the finish line in second at Champagne, Verifying was “bumped and disturbed at the start” of the Breeders’ Cup minors, according to a caption from the official Equibase chart, and hit defeated 12 stages by Forte 2 year old men’s hypothetical champion 2022.
“He won his debut in Saratoga impressively,” Cox said. “I think he ran really well in Champagne to give us enough confidence to leave Champagne, train at Churchill, try out the Breeders’ Cup. He didn’t run a bad race, just maybe not quite. completely equal at that time I hope that now that he has a little bit of time, we have supported him, he is back in training, the steady work pattern that led to this and hopefully he’ll take that extra step from 2nd to 3rd.”
The verification is planned to break post 5 under Martin Garcia. Judo is expected to pass post 7 under Joe Talamo.
Later, a hybrid child of street feeling first win at Ellis . Park in August before finishing as runner-up in an optional claimant at Churchill Downs during the September meeting.
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
