After Isivunguvungu’s big win at Colonial Downs on Saturday, the attention of many South African racing fans are now on the speed big guns he is likely to face in the BC Turf Sprint.
One of those is North America’s top grass sprinter Cogburn who avenged a 2023 defeat over the undulating, European-style Kentucky Downs course—his only loss on grass—by dominating the $1 797 200 Gr2 Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes on Saturday.
Cogburn charges to victory (Pic – Kentucky Downs Racecourse)
Unlike at Kentucky Downs in this same race last year, when he was just off the early pace and checked in a close fifth, Cogburn took charge immediately in the six-furlong contest and was always in control under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Throwing down splits of :21.82, :44.14, and :55.48, he pulled away to scored by 3 1/4 lengths under only mild pressure from Ortiz.
The Steve Asmussen trainee, owned by Clark Brewster and Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, hit the wire with a final time of 1:07.68.
“I didn’t do much, to be honest, just hold it together and he took me all the way,” Ortiz said.
The British-trained Khaadem , winner of Royal Ascot’s Gr1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in 2023-24, rallied to grab second.
A length farther behind, Axthelm nipped 2023 Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Nobals by a nose for the show.
Saturday’s race was part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, offering its winner a free, automatic paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on 2 November.
However, Cogburn already punched his ticket for the race by winning another Breeders’ Cup Challenge race, the 8 June Gr1 Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga. That day he blitzed the 1100m in a North American record :59.80. He had been scheduled to race there again over the summer but was scratched from the Gr3 Troy Stakes when rain forced it to the main track.
A month after the Jaipur, WinStar Farm announced it had partnered with his racing owners in acquiring the breeding rights to the 5-year-old son of Not This Time . Cogburn will stand at WinStar Farm upon his retirement from racing.
“What an amazing horse Cogburn is. What a wonderful ownership group,” Asmussen said. “I’m so proud that it’s the first time that he ran since WinStar bought into him, bought his breeding rights. For him to validate the form that he has shown all year long in his turf sprints is very special.”
Cogburn missed a chance to pursue the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last year when he was sidelined after his race at Kentucky Downs. He returned to action this May.
Before his success on turf, Cogburn was a three-time winner in eight dirt starts.
As a juvenile, he broke his maiden at Churchill Downs on dirt in his second start, winning by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:09.79 for six furlongs. He has won nine of 15 starts overall.
Bellary Bloodstock bred Cogburn in Kentucky out of the Saintly Look stakes winner In a Jif , the dam of three winners from as many starters. Brewster bought the winner for $150 000 from the Pick View consignment at the 2021 Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
“Just a great horse, and even better partners. Just happy to be here,” Brewster said after the race. “It was amazing.”
He is among a group of elite runners sired by Not This Time, along with such notable runners as champions Epicenter and Up to the Mark . One of the top young stallions in North America, Not This Time stood the 2024 breeding season for $150 000 at Taylor Made Stallions in Kentucky.
