Brad Cox points Jersey Girl winner Almostgone Rocket to Test

Newly-minted stakes winner Almostgone Rocket will be pointed toward the seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Test on August 3 at Saratoga Race Course after a six-length romp in Thursday’s $150,000 Jersey Girl.

“She came back in good shape and I’m super happy with how she looks,” said her two-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox, who trains her for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Ten Strike Racing. “We’re going to zero in on the Test and hopefully she can put in a similar effort.”

The Into Mischief bay brought her record to a perfect 3-for-3 with a prominent trip under Flavien Prat, battling for the early lead with Gray Lightning before putting away her rival in the turn and bounding away to a 5 1/2-length lead at the stretch call. She kept on strongly down the lane to win with ease to stop the clock in 1:09.52 for the six furlongs. The effort was awarded a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.

Cox said he was expecting a strong performance from Almostgone Rocket, who entered from two open-lengths victories at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs in April and May, respectively.

“She was on it, mentally and physically, and her works at Churchill have been really, really good,” said Cox. “She really fired home in her works, so we expected a big effort. When we legged the rider up, she was on it and on her toes and showing she was ready to run. I was a little shocked she took control of the race as early as she did, but she breezed up there so easy, Flavien probably could have taken over quicker than he did. It worked out well and hopefully we can get another eighth of a mile out of her.”

Cox said it is rewarding to see the daughter of the multiple stakes-winning Jump Start mare Bound live up to her potential by garnering black type.

“She came in from Ocala last winter and worked in the 2-year-old sale really well, but the ownership group decided to keep her. Obviously, it paid off for them yesterday with her becoming a stakes winner,” said Cox. “She came in with high regard and it took us a little while to get her to the races, but now she’s able to show what she’s capable of getting done.”

Cox is hoping his Thursday momentum carries through the rest of the weekend as Champion older dirt female Idiomatic and dual graded stakes-placed Nash take on Grade 1 company Saturday, while New York-breds Midtown Lights and Caldwell Luvs Gold fly the banner for their stable Sunday on the New York Showcase card to close out the Festival.

Juddmonte’s Kentucky homebred Idiomatic rides a six-race win streak – all graded stakes – into the Ogden Phipps (G1). She was last seen making a successful seasonal debut on May 3 in the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs with a dominant 3 3/4-length triumph to land her fourth consecutive Grade 1 victory.

“She’s doing amazing,” said Cox. “Her works at Churchill have been great and she’s settled in here (at Saratoga). Her first morning galloping was quite aggressive, but she’s really settled in these last few mornings. She schooled once and was really good. I’m happy with what we’ve seen from her and physically she looks amazing. She likes it here.”

Cox said the daughter of Curlin, who will emerge from post 5-of-6 under Florent Geroux, knows what is expected of her on the racetrack.

“She’s pretty professional and she’s 5 and knows the drill,” said Cox. “Hopefully, she gets a good trip. I thought she drew well and if she gets a good trip, she should be tough.”

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Nash was cross-entered in the Matt Winn (G3) on Sunday at Churchill, but will contest the $500,000 Woody Stephens (G1) on Saturday at the Spa.

“We just wanted to look at both races. Entering so far out, we wanted to make sure to look at each of them,” Cox said of the races that were drawn one week in advance. “We think this is a good spot to give him an opportunity at a Grade 1 and I thought he drew well. If he steps up and gives us the effort he did in the Pat Day Mile, I think he’ll be right there.”

Nash enters from a valiant runner-up effort in the Pat Day Mile (G2) when second to next-out Preakness-winner and Belmont Stakes contender Seize the Grey with a five-wide move under Geroux. His perfect in-the-money record includes a 10 1/4-length romp at second asking and a 5 1/2-length score in the one-mile Hot Springs in March at Oaklawn. He will exit post 9 in rein to Geroux.

“It was a big run (in the Pat Day Mile), and I wish we could have got there but we got beat by a horse that came out of there to win a Grade 1,” said Cox. “He managed to be second, and hopefully he can move forward off of it.”

Cox will close out the Festival with two New York-breds on Sunday’s card as Clay Scherer, Carson McCord, Gregory Hoffman, Rosemore Racing and Sonny Dotson’s Midtown Lights takes on the co-featured nine-furlong $200,000 Critical Eye, while Dicke Racing’s Caldwell Luvs Gold eyes her second stakes conquest in the seven-furlong $125,000 Bouwerie.

Midtown Lights enters off back-to-back optional claiming victories at Aqueduct Racetrack, led by a last-out 1 1/4-length conquest going one mile against open company on May 11. The daughter of Redesdale stretches out for her longest test yet as she seeks her first stakes win after three previous stakes placings against restricted company.

“She’s been good since we added blinkers and more ground has helped her,” said Cox. “This is the furthest we have run her, but she’s doing well and looks really good. We’ll see what happens. She’s a cool filly.”

Caldwell Luvs Gold, a Goldencents bay, seeks her first win since taking the state-bred Seeking the Ante in August at the Spa. She enters off a sixth in a May 24 state-bred optional claimer at Belmont at the Big A.