Verifire Aims to Carry Cox's Momentum Into Phoenix

If you were a graded stakes race in Kentucky over the last two weeks, there is a 100% chance you were won by Brad Cox.

The Cox barn has won the last three graded races held within the commonwealth: Conceit  in the Sept. 19 Dogwood Stakes (G3) and a pair of wins Sept. 26 with Bishops Bay  in the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) and Dragoon Guard  in the Lukas Classic Stakes (G2). Now, the trainer aims to carry that momentum from Churchill Downs into the Keeneland meet.

The streak is guaranteed to come to an end Oct. 2 as Cox does not have an entry in the featured Alcibiades Stakes (G1), but before then he does have a solid opportunity to push to five straight graded wins in Kentucky as he will saddle the morning-line favorite in both the $400,000 Phoenix Stakes (G2) and $400,000 Jessamine Stakes (G2T).

In the 6-furlong Phoenix, America's oldest stakes race, that would be Resolute Racing, Delta Squad Racing, and Anderson Stables' Verifire🔥  at odds of 5-2 with Flavien Prat aboard. The son of Authentic   showed early promise last year winning his first two starts by a combined 12 3/4 lengths before staying unbeaten with a win in the Maxfield Stakes. He was then eased in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) and sat on the shelf for nine months.

After returning against allowance optional claiming foes with a third on a sloppy track, that early promise has returned to the 4-year-old as he's pulled off consecutive wins, most recently in the Aug. 1 Reigh Count Stakes at Colonial Downs.

A win in his return to graded company comes with an added bonus as the Phoenix winner earns an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

One of his key rivals, Fleur De Lis Stables, William Sparks, and Bret Jones' Hymn , has already earned a Challenge Series berth to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) thanks to his Aug. 29 win in the Forego Stakes (G1), and trainer Ron Moquett aims to increase his options here.

That top-level win was a breakthrough for the son of McKinzie  , who Moquett has believed in from the start but has truly shown his ability since being gelded in March. Since that decision, he is 4-for-5 with a grade 1 win and grade 2 placing.

Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay's Nakatomi  is also a leading contender at 7-2 and could be a player if back to his best. After being the runner-up in the 2023 and 2024 Phoenix, he broke through with a win last year. The son of Firing Line  competed in Dubai in late March and returned in an allowance optional claimer Aug. 22 at Saratoga Race Course with a fourth-place finish, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

Cox Maiden Winners Step Up in Jessamine

Meanwhile, Monique En Vol  is a more tepid favorite for Cox at 4-1 in the Jessamine, a "Win and You're In" for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). The St. Elias Stable-owned Flightline🔥   filly exits a 1-mile maiden win Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs. Cox also trains 9-2 co-second choice Lucky Bernadine  for Epic Horses. She also broke her maiden at Kentucky Downs over a mile.

To add a graded win, they will have to compete with proven stakes runners, like Holy Cow Stable's Untapable Stakes winner Seneca Park  for trainer Dallas Stewart and the trifecta from Saratoga's P. G. Johnson Stakes: Main Line Racing Stable and Avalon Racing Stables' Glycogen , August Dawn Farm's Mel Went Home , and D. J. Stable's Pros and Cons .