Six Churchill Downs horses win Breeders’ Cup races

(Photo above: Brad Cox wearing the garland from Essential Quality’s victory in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, one of four races the trainer won. Coady Photography)

A Churchill Downs media release

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020) – It was a monumental weekend for horses based at Churchill Downs and its training center Trackside Louisville as they accounted for six of 14 victories at the 37^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

“It was pretty surreal,” said trainer Brad Cox, who won four Breeders’ Cup races including the $2 million Distaff (GI) with Monomoy Girl. “We had an amazing weekend and could not have done it without our staff and owners.”

Three of Cox’s four winners – Aunt Pearl (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Essential Quality (Juvenile) and Knicks Go (Dirt Mile) returned to Churchill Downs on Sunday morning. The fourth winner, 5-year-old champion mare Monomoy Girl, vanned from Keeneland to the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds and is scheduled to be sold Sunday night.

“We don’t know what the future will hold but it’ll be exciting regardless,” Cox said. “She’s a once in a lifetime horse. I owe her owners a ton of credit for having this mare come back to the races after having several setbacks. … I sort of viewed this year as her 4-year-old campaign and she proved she’s better than ever.”

Also back on the grounds is $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) winner Whitmore. The wily 7-year-old gelding pulled an 18-1 upset in the six-furlong Sprint under Irad Ortiz Jr. for owners Bob LaPenta, Head of Plains Partners and trainer Ron Moquett’s Southern Spring Stables.

“I can’t begin to say how proud I am of this horse,” said Moquett, who stood proudly outside Whitmore’s stall Sunday morning. “It takes a village to win a race like this and he had an entire team to get him there.”

Also recording a victory at the Breeders’ Cup was Three Diamonds Farm’s Fire At Will, who is based at Trackside Louisville for trainer Mike Maker. Fire At Will stormed home to a 30-1 upset score in the $1 million Juvenile Turf (GI) under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

Jockey Florent Geroux had a Breeders’ Cup double aboard Aunt Pearl and Monomoy Girl. The 34-year-old rider now has six Breeders’ Cup victories in his young career.

“It was a really good weekend,” Geroux said. “A lot of people were behind both of these horses and I’m very happy for all of them and thankful they gave me the opportunities.”

In total, 41 horses who were based at Churchill Downs made starts at the Breeders’ Cup. They had a record of 6-1-5. Below is the full list of runners and their result: