Accomplished Breeder Ed Cox Dies
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Photo: Matt Goins
Ed Cox was the breeder of several top Thoroughbreds, including Woodman and Marquetry
Ed A. Cox Jr., who enjoyed enormous success as a breeder and owner after getting into Thoroughbred racing in the mid-1970s, died March 15 in Oak Brook, Ill.
Cox, a grain trader in the Chicago mercantile exchange, struck up partnerships with gold-standard members of the horse world, including Claiborne Farm's Seth Hancock and Hermitage Farm's Warner Jones Jr.
Cox was a partner in Claiborne's 3-year-old champion and dual classic winner Swale; and with Jones, he co-bred Irish champion 2-year-old Woodman, who went on to become a significant sire and broodmare sire. Cox bred 1989 St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) winner Shaadi and raced homebred Classy Cathy to 1986 grade 1 victories in the Alabama Stakes, Ashland Stakes, and Gazelle Handicap. He bred three-time grade 1 winner Marquetry, co-bred and raced grade 3 winner Sum, bred grade 2 winner Live Lively and multiple grade 3 winner Pleasure Cay, and owned grade 2 winner Impetuous Gal and multiple grade 3 winner Naples Bay, who was a half sister to Medaglia d'Oro .
"He knew a lot about business, and he listened and learned about the horses," said Hancock. "He was smart enough to know what he didn't know, and we ended up raising a lot of good horses for him. He was a special man."
"I think he was the pre-eminent small breeder in the business for years," noted Bill Landes, manager of Hermitage Farm. "He loved to name horses after family members."