Caravel wins the Unbridled Sidney at Churchill May 5 (Daniella Ricci/Past The Wire)
NYRA Press Office
ELMONT, N.Y.— Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox was on hand as a number of his Belmont Stakes Day stakes contenders enjoyed some light exercise Wednesday at Belmont Park.
Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel, and Madaket Stables’ multiple graded stakes-winner Caravel went for a gallop over Belmont’s dirt training track in preparation for the Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur on Saturday, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November at Santa Anita.
“She’s awesome. She’s been here before and knows the drill,” Cox said of the 6-year-old mare, who won last year’s Grade 3 Intercontinental here. “I’m real pleased with how she’s doing.”
Additionally, Cox reported that Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun hopeful Victory Formation, Grade 2 Brooklyn contender Warrant, and Grade 2 True North aspirant Strobe all looked well this morning in their exercise.
“Victory Formation is good and went to the main and was moving good,” said Cox. “It’s a tough, tall task [in the Woody Stephens] and a good race, so we’ll see. Warrant went out the same time as [Belmont Stakes contender] Hit Show and he trained really good.”
Cox expressed confidence in Godolphin’s Strobe as he enters the 6 1/2-furlong True North from a runner-up finish in Oaklawn’s Grade 2 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap where he made his graded debut. Strobe will exit post 5 under Florent Geroux as the 2-1 morning-line second choice in a compact, but talented, field of six older horses.
“Strobe is doing super good and I’m very excited about him in his second opportunity at a graded stakes,” said Cox. “I felt he needed his last run, but I think the way he’s drawn and with the setup of the race, he should get a good run. He’s super consistent and I liked him in Arkansas before his last run. I feel like I like him even more now.”
