Cox, Geroux survive objection to win Thoroughbred Club of America

The team of trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux will have a mount other than top 3-year-old Monomoy Girl to worry about on Breeders’ Cup Saturday, and that’s a good thing for the duo.

Golden Mischief broke on top, took back and used that reserve energy late, just enough enough to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America of America at Keeneland.

The six-furlong event on the main track carried “Win and You’re In” status to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs.

"She was a bit closer than what I wanted the first eighth of a mile," Geroux said. "...I found a nice gap down on the inside at the eighth pole. I shot through it, and from there she just kept going."

A 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, Golden Mischief finished in a final time of 1:09.39. The run survived a rider’s objection from the Vertical Oak camp as Golden Mischief moved outward in deep stretch, squeezing the runner that eventually crossed the wire third.

Of course, it was a mere two weeks ago that Monomoy Girl was taken down after first across the wire for similar actions in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Racing. This time, the same jockey-trainer duo could take a sigh of relief.

On to the Breeders' Cup?

"That'll be up to Juddmonte," Cox said of the owner. "My vote's going to be to go."

Chalon got the runner-up in a Thoroughbred Club of America field of 10, with the favorite, Miss Sunset, fourth.

Golden Mischief, a $475,000 purchase, won her first graded stakes Saturday while improving her record to 10-3-0 in 21 starts.