Covfefe Sizzles Through Record-Setting Miss Preakness
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Covfefe sizzles through six furlongs in 1:07.70 in the Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
LNJ Foxwoods' Covfefe separated herself from her 3-year-old rivals in the $150,000 Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, drawing clear by 8 1/2 lengths. She scorched the six furlongs in 1:07.70, taking more than a second off the track mark of 1:09 set by Northern Wolf in 1990.
The win also marked the 50th black-type winner for Spendthrift Farm's sire Into Mischief .
A 3-year-old out of the Unbridled mare Antics, Covfefe came into the Miss Preakness off a half-length score in an optional-claiming allowance race April 6 at Keeneland. Highly touted at 2, she broke her maiden at Churchill Downs in September at odds of 1-2 and was the beaten favorite, behind champion Jaywalk, as the 3-5 choice in Belmont Park's Frizette Stakes (G1) in October.
"The time was just ridiculous," said winning trainer Brad Cox. "She really cruised around out there.
"This filly, we've thought she was a superstar from the start. To ship to a grade 1 (Frizette) off breaking her maiden should tell you we like her. She put it together today."
Covfefe broke sharp under Javier Castellano from post 1 Friday and quickly got the early advantage over Congrats Gal and Fighting Mad through an opening quarter-mile of :22.24 and a half-mile in :44.43. She spurted clear at the head of the lane and, in the stretch, was adding to her advantage with every stride.
"She did it very easy," Castellano said. "I didn't expect her to be on the lead. She has speed, but the way I handicapped the race in the back of my mind, I didn't want to take the pace because I knew it was going to be really fast. But it didn't work that way. She broke out of the gate, and I had the best horse in the race.
"I know she's a good filly, and she's just a superfast horse. It didn't surprise me the way she performed today. I felt we were going fast, but (going in 1:07) didn't go through my mind once."
Please Flatter Me was second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Tomlin. Covfefe paid $5.60, $3.60, and $2.80.
Following the completion of the race, Charles Biggs' Congrats Gal, trained by Cathal Lynch, collapsed from an apparent heart attack.
"Congrats Gal suffered sudden death after the eighth race today," read a statement from The Stronach Group and Maryland Jockey Club. "The incident occurred after the wire. Commission veterinarians attended to the horse immediately. Our thoughts go out to all of the owners, trainers, and connections of Congrats Gal.
"The Stronach Group is committed to the welfare and safety of horses above all, and we are saddened by what happened today.
"A full necropsy will be performed to try to determine the cause of death."
Bred in Kentucky by Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds, the Miss Preakness winner was a $250,000 purchase by Solis/Litt from the Gainesway consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Covfefe is a half sister to Japanese grade 2 winner Albiano (by Harlan's Holiday). Antics is a half sister to grade 1 winners Acoma and Arch. She foaled a Nyquist half sister to Covfefe in 2018 and produced a Violence colt April 20.