Covfefe Turns Back Serengeti Empress to Win Test
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Photo: Skip Dickstein/Tim Lanahan
Covfefe (outside) runs down Serengeti Empress in the Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Webster's Dictionary defines the word "thrill" as follows: "(n.) A tingling of or as if of the nerves produced by a sudden emotional reaction; a feeling of great excitement or happiness."
But a definition, precise though it may be, pales in comparison to the actual experience.
Such was the case Aug. 3 for fans at Saratoga Race Course who witnessed a thrill come to life in LNJ Foxwood's Covfefe.
In one of the most heart-pounding stretch duels in recent memory, the daughter of Into Mischief wowed the crowd with her stamina, defeated a Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner, and claimed the $500,000 Longines Test Stakes (G1).
"I didn't know we had the race won until we hit the wire," said Covfefe's trainer, Brad Cox. "We had to get by a Kentucky Oaks winner. That was a grade 1 filly on the inside, and now we have a grade 1 winner. It was a great race, and we're very thankful for LNJ Foxwoods to give us an opportunity like this."
Oaks victress Serengeti Empress was predictably first out of the gate in Saturday's seven-furlong test. Sent to the front by Jose Ortiz, the filly showed the way through fractions of :22.19 and :44.28 for the half-mile. Running just off the inside rail, she came under pressure from Covfefe, who moved four then three wide on the backstretch before latching on to the leader.
As the field turned for home, Covfefe squared up for her stretch run and fired. Driving hard under Joel Rosario, Covfefe drew on even terms with Serengti Empress at the top of the stretch, and the pair blasted away from the pack. Head to head in the final yards with the crowd in a complete uproar, the fillies battled to the wire, each refusing to give an inch.
With yards to run, Serengeti Empress refused to yield and continued to pound home with deliberate force. But it was Covfefe who got up in the last steps by a half-length in the shadow of the wire.
The final time was 1:21.26 over a fast track.
"She was there for me the whole time," said Rosario. "She galloped better and better going forward, and that was a tremendous race. I know turning for home, I had (Serengeti Empress) on the inside, and at one point she came back a little and was there all the time. It turned out to be a good race at the end.
"(Cox) told me to just break good and see where I'd be during the race and just take it from there. She was always there for me. I had a lot of confidence."
It was another 8 3/4 lengths back to three-time grade 1 winner Bellafina in third. Trenchtown Cat, Jeltrin, Royal Charlotte, and Please Flatter Me completed the order.
"Huge race. Two great fillies that put it together today," said Ortiz. "They both brought their 'A' game. We have to take our hats off to Covfefe because she ran a huge race. (Credit) to the ownership and Brad and Joel because they brought her out and that was a great show."
"We don't hang our heads at all. Our horse ran such a fine race," said Serengeti Empress' trainer, Tom Amoss. "It was the kind of race that the fans were hoping for, and for myself personally—I wish it had gone the other way—(but) what a great stretch duel. We got beat by a wonderful performance by our opponent, Covfefe. Just as importantly, I look at the last sixteenth of a mile this race and how my filly kept on fighting and I could not be more proud of her. There will be other days for us, but don't take anything away from Serengeti Empress. She ran great."
A winner of the May 17 Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course—a race in which she set a track record for six furlongs in 1:07.70—Covfefe entered the Test off a third-place run in the June 22 Roxelana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs. Cox said he trained the filly aggressively leading up to the grade 1 sprint to make sure she would be prepared for the depth of the field.
"Her last two works at Churchill were phenomenal," said Cox. "I knew when we turned for home, we were going to get as good a Covfefe as we could get at this point of the year. I knew when she turned for home, she wasn't going to give in today. If she was ever going to get seven-eighths, it was going to be today. Like I said, when we got our head in front, Joel did a good job of just keeping her going. She stayed after her. She responded well, and Joel (Rosario) gave her an excellent trip. To get a grade 1 with her is huge. It was a super effort. She's a fantastic filly—very fast."
Bred in Kentucky by Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds, Covfefe is out of the Unbridled mare Antics, who produced grade 2 winner Albiano, has a yearling Nyquist filly, and foaled a Violence colt April 20. Covfefe was purchased by Solis/Litt for $250,000 from Gainesway's consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She has a 4-0-1 record from six starts and earnings of $483,300.
Cox said the likely next step will be to allow Covfefe some well-deserved time off. In the meantime, the daughter of Into Mischief will ship back to her home base of Kentucky. Likely next starts will come in either the Breeders' Cup or Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
"We'll back off of her a little bit," said Cox. "She'll go back to Kentucky and we will let her regroup there. We'll give her plenty of time before we ship her back, but we will see. We will see how she comes out of it and what other options are out there."