Hear the full interview
From 29:10 in Tuesday’s episode of Nick Luck Daily. Press play to start at the interview.
Brad Cox says the Dirt Mile gives Further Ado the best chance of winning a Grade 1 at the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday, and is not convinced by the idea that the colt is at his best at Keeneland.
Further Ado, who has been drawn in stall one under Flavien Prat, had been considered for the Classic, but Cox said the Dirt Mile was the more realistic target after studying both races.
“Listen, I don’t really buy into all that he’s that good at Keeneland,” Cox told Nick Luck. “This horse has won two graded stakes at Churchill Downs, and he’s run figures there that are as fast as his figures at Keeneland. He does like Keeneland, that’s a positive. But I think everything would have to go perfect for him to win the Classic. He stacks up with the Dirt Mile field a little better.”
“I think everything would have to go perfect for him to win the Classic.”
Brad Cox on Further Ado
Cox believes the three-year-old is still improving. “He’s been plugging away all year and seems to be just as good now as he was three or four months ago, which says a lot about how tough he is,” he said. “He looks amazing, carrying good flesh, moving fantastic, and his works have continued to be great all fall.”
‘Much stronger than last year’
Cox believes his overall team is “much stronger than last year’s”. He has two runners in the Filly & Mare Turf, and is especially keen on the trip for Bless the Broken. “I love the distance for Bless the Broken,” he said. “Stellify has an outside post, so break running and see what happens.”
In the Juvenile Fillies, Scarlett Begonia is drawn on the rail and Foxiest in three. “Scarlett Begonia’s a nice filly, but it’s unknown if she can handle two turns. We’ll break running from the one-hole and see how it goes,” Cox said. “Foxiest is very, very classy. I do think she’ll handle two turns, being by Gun Runner and out of a Breeders’ Cup champion.”
Asked to pick one, he went with the obvious choice before singling out Foxiest. “Further Ado is the shortest price, that’s the easy answer,” he said. “But I do think there’s a tremendous amount of upside with Foxiest. Maybe she’s a filly who could take us to the Kentucky Oaks. I think she’s set up to take a big move forward.”
Champion Immersive runs in the Distaff. “She’s going to need to step up,” Cox said. “It’s obviously a very solid race, but she drew well.”
Bell eyes repeat of 1987 miracle
Also out early on the track this morning was Keeneland’s Gatewood Bell, who has a personal stake in the Juvenile Fillies. He bred Scarlett Begonia with Gray Lyster, and is hoping to repeat a famous family success.
In 1987, Bell’s family bred Epitome, who won the Juvenile Fillies at Hollywood Park at around 50-1. “My grandfather was speechless,” Bell said. “I think on national TV he just said, ‘It’s a miracle.’ And it was. If we’re going to do it, it’ll be just like 39 years ago.”
Scarlett Begonia is around 25-1 and has never run over two turns, but Bell is quietly hopeful. “She’s got a lot of heart,” he said. “She’s not going to embarrass us. Manny Franco from the rail, she’s got a chance.”
Bell, part of the senior team behind Keeneland’s recent redevelopment, said it was special to welcome the world back. “To be able to showcase an event like this is pretty fun and special for everybody that works here.”
