Stalk, pounce, and draw. Verification makes it easy on January 15th at Oaklawn Parkfinished with a 5 1/4 long entry win on his 3-year-old debut for coach Brad Cox.
KING: Midnight Bisou’s half-brother Verified a walk in Oaklawn
Verification in progress half brother with champion Midnight Bisou played their first game since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup for minors (G1) November 4 at Keeneland. The son of justification scored a preliminary Beyer Speed Number of 97, a career high, after running the fastest distance in the meeting in preparation for the Kentucky Derby (G1) scoring race.
“Things went better than planned,” Cox said in a phone call on January 14. “We’ve always liked this pony. Mentally, I don’t know if he’s always been as polished as a pony. another number or not, but it really started, I think, figuring it out. I think that’s a big step forward in the refresh since Breeders’ Cup.”
Verification, owned in partnership with Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Coolmore affiliate, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, sped past their rivals in the final 100 yards and finished— the one-mile races at Oaklawn begin and end in the sixteenth column in the long run — in 1:37.23 under the leadership of Martin Garcia. mallow tree hit 1:37.35 on winning $150,000 Season Five Bets on older horses about 2 and a half hours later on the card.
“It’s a really good horse,” Garcia said after riding the Verification for the first time. “Sometimes you break and intend to go and then you come back. Difficult. In this case, I intend to go and the horse is different, then I sit outside and walk around him. I asked him. once and it just took off. It just kept going. I know it’s had a respite since the Breeders’ Cup. I think it’s a really good horse mentally and of course, it has a lot of possibilities. It’s a really, really good horse.”
Jorgito Abrego, who oversees Cox’s Oaklawn division, said Sunday morning that Verification appears to have helped him win in good shape. Cox says plans for the next race are pending verification, who has been headquartered this winter in Fairground Racecourse.
“We’re going to bring him back to the Fair Grounds at some point and train him there,” Cox said. “I really don’t know (what will happen next). We’ll be working with Coolmore’s (ownership) team and come up with a game plan in the near future.”
Verify could be one of dozens of Kentucky Derby leads for Cox and already has four qualifying spots after finishing second in Champagne Stakes (G1) last October in the competition Belmont at Big A meeting.
Cox trainee winning lineup and angel of the empire 1 to 2 in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on January 1. Smarty Jones was the first of Oaklawn’s four Kentucky Derby scoring races. The series continues with $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles away on January 28.
Cox says he plans to start unbeaten corona , impressions and Jace’s son in the Southwest while Victory Formation and Angel of Empire are being considered for Risen Star Stakes (G2) on February 18 at Fair Grounds and Rebel Stakes (G2) in Oaklawn on February 25.
Jace’s Road was the 5 1/2 length winner of the Gun Runner Stake on December 26 at the Fair Grounds while Corona Bolt was the outstanding winner of the Sugar Bowl Stakes on December 26 on the same oval there.
Hit Show, son of candy ride was the one-mile sharp entry allowance winner on December 17 in Oaklawn.
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
