MD-Based Cox Eyes First Maryland Million Win

Kenny Cox took out his trainer's license in 1987, the year after the Maryland Million was launched. Though based in Maryland throughout his career, which includes a pair of state meet titles and several stakes winners led by Flaming Emperor, he has yet to win a stakes on Maryland Million day.

Cox is hoping his luck will change this year that this year in the Oct. 23 $150,000 Maryland Million Classic Stakes at Laurel Park, with long shot Ain't Da Beer Cold , a 3-year-old gelding owned by Matt Spencer, Cox's wife Kelly Jo, and Charlie Bonuccelli.

The 1 1/8-mile Classic for 3-year-olds and up headlines a 12-race card featuring eight stakes and four starter stakes on 'Maryland's Day at the Races,' celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.

On paper, Ain't Da Beer Cold was well-beaten in his only two starts this year, both sprints, the most recent coming Sept. 17 at Laurel. Listed at 20-1 on the morning line, he didn't open his sophomore season until Aug. 14 at historic Pimlico Race Course in a similar conditioned allowance, contested at six furlongs.

Cox, a native of Gallupville, Md., near old Bowie Race Course, delved deeper into Ain't Da Beer Cold's form and noted his success the only two times the son of Freedom Child  went a route of ground, winning an open allowance optional claiming last November and being beaten a nose in the Howard County Stakes a month later, both going 1 1/16 miles at Laurel.

"It's not out of the question this horse could run real big in the Classic, actually," Cox said. "He's really training good. He's a route horse and last time it was a very disappointing effort the way he got eased. But, he's a horse that doesn't want dirt in his face. He kind of got some dirt and backed out. We did some bloodwork and he had some issues going on, and we addressed those.

"He worked the other day and (jockey) Angel (Cruz) came and worked him. I said if this horse works decent, then we'll run him in the Classic," he added. "He's never worked as good as he did (that day) in his entire career that I've had him, even as a baby when he was in his best form."

Ain't Da Beer Cold, bred by Spencer and Kelly Jo Cox, stumbled at the start of last year's Maryland Million Nursery and lost all chance, finishing eighth. Cruz has been enlisted to ride in the Classic from post 5.

"It would be big for everyone. This is what Maryland's about. It's the day. I've never really had live chances going in like I think I do this weekend so I'm pretty excited," Cox said. "I grew up 10 minutes from Bowie. The owner (Bonuccelli), he grew up in Bowie, so it's a big deal for us to be there and to have real live chance going into it.

Non Stop Stable's Tappin Cat , exiting his eighth career victory and first in a stakes, will put his three-race win streak on the line in the Classic, where he is the 6-5 program favorite. The 5-year-old Tritap  gelding has been a model of consistency, finishing third or better in 20 of 27 lifetime starts and sitting less than $800 shy of $400,000 in purse earnings.

Having sprinted last summer and into the spring, Tappin Cat has thrived since being stretched out. In five straight starts at a mile or longer, Tappin Cat ran second twice before launching his current stretch of wins, capped by a victory in the Sept. 25 DTHA Governor's Day Handicap at Delaware Park.

Cash is King and LC Racing's Dream  Big Dreams  will be making his stakes debut and facing elders in the Classic. Trained by Brittany Russell, the 3-year-old son of Bandbox   was a rallying half-length winner last out in a 1 1/16-mile open allowance over older horses Sept. 25 at Laurel.

Entries: Maryland Million Classic S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, October 23, 2021, Race 11

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:57 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Dashing Lou (MD)	Victor Rosales	118	Gary Capuano	30/1
2	2Prendimi (NJ)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	Luis Carvajal, Jr.	12/1
3	3Torch of Truth (MD)	Julian Pimentel	118	Michael J. Trombetta	4/1
4	4Crouchelli (MD)	Leonardo Corujo	118	Robert S. Vukelic	10/1
5	5Ain't Da Beer Cold (MD)	Angel Cruz	114	Kenneth M. Cox	20/1
6	6Dream Big Dreams (MD)	Feargal Lynch	114	Brittany T. Russell	4/1
7	7The Poser (MD)	Horacio Karamanos	118	Hamilton A. Smith	6/1
8	8Tappin Cat (MD)	Jevian Toledo	120	Gary Capuano	6/5
9	9Cordmaker (MD)	Victor R. Carrasco	122	Rodney Jenkins	1/1
10	10McElmore Avenue (MD)	Horacio Karamanos	118	Mary E. Eppler	5/2
11	11Closer Look (MD)	UNKNOWN	118	Kieron Magee	5/1
12	12Dr. Ferber (MD)	Mychel J. Sanchez	114	Gary C. Contessa	20/1
13	13Alwaysmining (MD)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	Cathal A. Lynch	7/2

Entries: Maryland Million Distaff S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, October 23, 2021, Race 7

• STK
• 7f
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 2:54 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Street Lute (MD)	Xavier Perez	118	John J. Robb	6/1
2	2Hello Beautiful (MD)	Jevian Toledo	122	Brittany T. Russell	2/5
3	3Coconut Cake (MD)	Forest Boyce	118	Timothy L. Keefe	20/1
4	4Whispering Pines (MD)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	118	Horacio DePaz	8/1
5	5Fille d'Esprit (MD)	UNKNOWN	118	John J. Robb	12/1
6	6Malibu Beauty (MD)	Jaime Rodriguez	116	Gary Capuano	8/1
7	7Factorintheheat (MD)	Kevin Gomez	118	Mary E. Eppler	20/1

Entries: Maryland Million Nursery S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, October 23, 2021, Race 8

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 2 yo
• 3:26 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Buff Hello (PA)	Charlie Marquez	122	Claudio A. Gonzalez	6/1
2	2Vance Scholars (MD)	Jorge Ruiz	122	Dale Capuano	10/1
3	3Gallant Gold (MD)	Leonardo Corujo	122	John E. Salzman, Sr.	20/1
4	4Shady Munni (MD)	Angel Cruz	122	Claudio A. Gonzalez	12/1
5	5Local Motive (MD)	J. D. Acosta	122	John E. Salzman, Jr.	5/1
6	6Coastal Mission (WV)	Arnaldo Bocachica	122	Jeff C. Runco	8/1
7	7Under the Radar (MD)	Aubrie Green	122	Cesar Nambo	12/1
8	8All for Love (MD)	Xavier Perez	122	John J. Robb	20/1
9	9Good Idea (MD)	Feargal Lynch	122	Jason DaCosta	10/1
10	10Mr. Mox (MD)	Jaime Rodriguez	122	Jamie Ness	9/2
11	11Witty (PA)	Carol Cedeno	117	Elizabeth M. Merryman	30/1
12	12Cynergy's Star (MD)	Jevian Toledo	122	Kenneth M. Cox	8/1
13	13Bet On Bitz (MD)	Christian Hiraldo	122	Anthony Farrior	12/1
14	14Free Sailin (WV)	Horacio Karamanos	122	Jason DaCosta	15/1
15	15Al Loves Josie (MD)	Xavier Perez	117	John J. Robb	15/1
16	16We B Shackin (MD)	Carlos Marrero	122	Stacey R. Viands	15/1

Entries: Maryland Million Turf S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, October 23, 2021, Race 9

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:57 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cannon's Roar (MD)	Charlie Marquez	118	Dale Capuano	2/1
2	2Ravens Delight (PA)	Jaime Rodriguez	120	Hugh I. McMahon	15/1
3	3Benny Havens (MD)	Jevian Toledo	118	Anthony Aguirre, Jr.	20/1
4	4Johng (MD)	Forest Boyce	118	Timothy L. Keefe	10/1
5	5Somekindofmagician (MD)	Angel Cruz	120	Gary C. Contessa	9/2
6	6Trifor Gold (MD)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	Mark Shuman	8/1
7	7Street Copper (MD)	Julian Pimentel	118	Michael J. Trombetta	5/1
8	8Nick Papagiorgio (MD)	J. D. Acosta	118	Michael A. Lecesse	5/1
9	9Pretty Good Year (MD)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	118	Kelly Rubley	15/1
10	10Up Against It (MD)	Tais Lyapustina	118	Robin L. Graham	30/1
11	11Beltway Bob (MD)	Jorge Ruiz	118	Gregory L. Wilson	15/1
12	12Robert's Luxury (MD)	Kevin Gomez	114	Sean McDermott	15/1
13	13Who's Counting (MD)	Kevin Gomez	114	Sean McDermott	20/1

Entries: Maryland Million Sprint S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, October 23, 2021, Race 10

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:27 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Air Token (MD)	J. D. Acosta	118	Jose Corrales	12/1
2	2Valued Notion (PA)	Xavier Perez	120	Rodney Jenkins	20/1
3	3Fortheluvofbourbon (PA)	Mychel J. Sanchez	120	Michael V. Pino	2/1
4	4Whiskey and You (MD)	Charlie Marquez	118	Roy M. Peacock, Jr.	15/1
5	5Kenny Had a Notion (VA)	Jorge Ruiz	118	Dale Capuano	12/1
6	6Karan's Notion (MD)	Yomar Orlando Ortiz	118	Nancy B. Heil	10/1
7	7Double Crown (MD)	Feargal Lynch	118	Thomas M. Amoss	9/5
8	8Band On Tour (MD)	Jevian Toledo	118	Gary Capuano	4/1
9	9Jaxon Traveler (MD)	Feargal Lynch	118	Steven M. Asmussen	7/5
10	10Whereshetoldmetogo (MD)	UNKNOWN	122	Brittany T. Russell	8/5
11	11Abuelo Paps (MD)	Angel Cruz	118	Marco P. Salazar	15/1
12	12Where Paradise Lay (MD)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	William Downing	10/1