Trainer Brad Cox plans to pre-enter four or five horses for the Breeders’ Cup on November 4-5 at Keenelandled by Gold Square’s Cyberknife whom he plans to run in Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Cox has a history of winning that race and also the Breeders’ Cup, having captured eight Breeders’ Cup races from 26 starts, one of which is the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in 2020 with the Racing Authority Korea Knicks Go . That year at Keeneland was a memorable one for Cox, who recorded four Breeders’ Cup wins in 2020, taking the coach to his first Eclipse Award.
He also got his Lexington race wins in 2020 from Aunt Tran in Breeders ‘Fish Cup (G1T), Necessary quality in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), and Monomoy Girl in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).
Last year at Del MarCox had a single Breeders ‘Cup win in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with the eventual Horse of the Year Knicks Go.
Cyberknife has secured automatic paid entry to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, which won the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1), a “Win and You Go” Challenge Race. But Cox now prefers Breeders’ Dirt Dirt Mile ‘shorter for 3-year-olds Gunman colt, the second runner in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and the third slow start in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) in the next two starts.
Cox on Breeders’ Cup Classic mileage. “But listen, it’s clearly a very, very deep group of horses — the best horses right now in the world. I think Mile gives us a better chance of winning.”
Classic — which Cox said Cyberknife is likely to also join first, albeit second to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile — is led by Flight route as Life is good , Olympiad , Epicenter and Taiba .
Laurel River and Jack Christopher (also under consideration for Qatar Racing Breeders ‘Cup Sprint (G1)) tops prospects for Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which seems likely to draw a bigger pitch than the Classic.
Cyberknife took down Jack Christopher when they were 1-3 in Haskell 1/8 mile this summer at Monmouth Park.
(LR): Jockey Florent Geroux, trainer Brad Cox, and owner Al Gold and his wife Hilary at Haskell Stakes in Monmouth Park
Other Cox intended entries include Caravel for the Breeders Cup Sprint (G1T), Verification in progress for Juvenile Breeders’ Cup, Hurry up for NetJets Breeders ‘Cup Fillies’ fry (G1), and can Lady Rocket for Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Log in a runner close behind Forte in the Claiborne Breeders ‘Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, will not compete in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He is on leave and will be looking forward to the 3-year campaign, Cox said.
Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel, and Madaket Stables ‘Caravel, 12th in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, won Franklin Stakes (G3T) over women at Keeneland on October 16; Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor’s Verification finished second in Champagne Stakes (G1) after their first win; Selective’s Chop Chop is the second hardest hit in Darley Alcibiades (G1) after two previous wins on dirt; and Ten Strike Racing’s third-placed Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Lady Rocket finished second in the Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2) in her final warm-up.
Florent Geroux has a mount on Cyberknife and Tyler Gaffalione rides a Caravel, Cox said. Joel Rosario rides Verification and Chop Chop, and “it looks like” he could be on Lady Rocket, Cox added.
