Fresh Off Dubai World Cup Victory, Brad Cox Barn ‘In A Good Spot’ in Older Horse Division

[Wandering Eyes]

With Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) already back galloping following his upset victory in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup–more on him shortly–trainer Brad Cox will be well-represented by a pair of older horses on Saturday that could make some noise of their own in the handicap division this year.

Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense), a fantastic third while launching his 5-year-old season off the bench in the GIII Razorback H. Feb. 23, is the 2-1 program favorite in the $1.25-million GII Oaklawn H. in Hot Springs.  Flavien Prat will be at the controls.

A late scratch from the 2023 GI Preakness Stakes after winning a live renewal of the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland, that term's narrow GII Clark S. runner-up looked like he was on the cusp of stardom last spring, but failed to take the next step following powerful wins in the GIII Essex H. at Oaklawn Mar. 23 and GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs May 3. The latter was good for a career-high 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fourth as the 4-5 favorite in the GI Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs June 29, First Mission was given plenty of time to regroup following another head-scratching effort, this time finishing a well-beaten seventh in the GI Whitney S. over a muddy track at Saratoga Aug. 3.

“Look, we've always thought he was a Grade I talent,” Cox said. “He was able to win a graded stake (Stonestreet Lexington) off a maiden win at three. We felt very good about him leading up to the Preakness, but we had a small setback that just required time.

He came back, was narrowly defeated in the Clark as a 3-year-old, then he really got rolling last spring. We gave him an opportunity in two Grade Ones. Felt really good about him in the Stephen Foster, just didn't fire. We saw no reason to stop. We pressed on and went in the Whitney and just another flat effort. We gave him a break and brought him back.”

First Mission rallied nicely from third and was beaten just a neck behind the re-opposing duo of Alexander Helios (Cairo Prince) and Banishing (Ghostzapper) in a race dominated on the front end last time.

“I liked how he was doing leading up to the Oaklawn race,” Cox said. “I thought he ran against the bias a bit that day–I don't like too many excuses–but I thought he ran a winning race. Good run off the layoff. Good figures. We zeroed in on this race ever since. I think we got him primed and ready. He's really training well.”

Just a Touch | Horsephotos

Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel's highly regarded Just a Touch (Justify), meanwhile, will shoot for his second straight allowance victory at Keeneland Saturday. The $125,000 FTKOCT yearling turned $300,000 OBSAPR breezer is the 6-5 morning-line favorite and will face nine rivals, including GSW & MGISP Skinner (Curlin), going 1 1/8 miles. Regular rider Florent Geroux has the call.

A very sharp 3-year-old debut winner sprinting in the slop at Fair Grounds last January, Just a Touch earned a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby while still eligible for a first-level allowance following fantastic runner-up finishes in the GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland.

Last of 20 at a well-backed 11-1 after an eventful journey on the first Saturday in May, Just a Touch made just one more start last season, coming up a head short as the heavy favorite in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows July 6.

“I would definitely say that we were trying to fast track him,” Cox said. “And listen, he responded. He broke his maiden and went right into graded stake company. Ran well enough in the Gotham and ran very well in the Blue Grass. He didn't get away well in the Derby. He got squeezed back. That show was over a couple of jumps out of the gate for him.”

Cox added, “It wasn't the greatest training job after the Derby or job of managing him and I'm to blame for that.”

The time off has served Just a Touch quite well. He returned to the races with a stylish, 10 1/2-length, front-running victory at Fair Grounds Mar. 1. That effort earned him a career-high 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He rebounded well with the freshening,” Cox said. “I thought he ran the way he was training in his one run this year. I wanted to give him plenty of time and space his races and hopefully get a full season out of him. This was the logical spot at Keeneland on Saturday. He's still lightly raced and trying to get some solid miles and experience underneath of him. Looking forward to this being a stepping stone towards graded stakes.”

The GI Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs June 28, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, “could be in play” for the aforementioned Dubai World Cup upsetter Hit Show, Cox said.

“As soon as we got him out of quarantine, he looked phenomenal,” Cox said. “I'll talk it over with the Wathnan group and Case Clay, but right now, I don't see a reason to pull him out of training. He bounced out of it really well.”

Cox concluded, “They're exciting horses. (Last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. winner) Highland Falls (Curlin) is back on the worktab, too. We have a nice group of older horses. We gotta have things go right, but we're in a good spot.”

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