Covfefe out-duels Serengeti Empress in thrilling Test

Covfefe and Serengeti Empress dueled the length of the stretch in Saturday’s Test Stakes, with Covfefe edging ahead at the wire to claim the Grade 1, $500,000 event.

Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress broke to the lead in the seven-furlong Saratoga sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

Under jockey Joel Rosario, Covfefe stayed in close contact as Serengeti Empress set even fractions of :22.19 and :44.28.

Coming into the stretch, Covfefe pulled alongside the pace setter.

With Covfefe on the outside and Serengeti Empress just inches to her inside, those two engaged in a thrilling stretch duel.

Covfefe had enough left in the tank to pull ahead and score by a half-length, stopping the clock in 1:21.26 – the fifth-fastest winning time ever for a Test Stakes.

The Brad Cox trainee Covfefe paid $8.50 for her victory, with Serengeti Empress finishing second, well ahead of 2-1 favorite Bellafina in third.

"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," Cox said. "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.

"She responded well and Joel gave her an excellent trip. To get a Grade 1 with her is huge. It was a super effort."

LNJ Foxwoods campaigns Covfefe, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief.

Covfefe owns four wins over her six starts, including May 17 when she posted a 107 Beyer – the second-best of any 3-year-old this season – in winning Pimlico’s Miss Preakness Stakes (G3). 

"We have to take our hats off to Covefefe because she ran a huge race," Serengeti Empress jockey Jose Ortiz said. "(Credit) to the ownership and Brad and Joel because they brought her out and that was a great show."