Cox 'very confident' as Covfefe takes on elders in Roxelana Stakes

LNJ Foxwoods’ record-setting Miss Preakness (G3) winner Covfefe was made the slight 7-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's 10th running of the $120,000 Roxelana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs over Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Heider Family Stables and Madaket Stables’ Humana Distaff (G1) hero Mia Mischief, who was slated at 8-5.

“(Covfefe) has just been training so well the last few days here that I wanted to enter her now instead of wait,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She’s ready to run, and even though Mia Mischief showed up in the race, I’m still very confident in our filly.

"There is some other speed that entered the race, but I still think we are the fastest of anyone in there.”

Cox stated that the Roxelana could be used as a prep for Saratoga’s Test Stakes (G1), which is run six weeks later on Aug. 3. The Louisville-based conditioner also plans to run Eight Belles (G3) winner Break Even in the Test.

The six-furlong Roxelana, named for the crack female sprinter who won seven of 11 starts and earned $264,726 between 2000-03 for trainer William “Blackie” Huffman, is carded as Race 10 of 11 on Saturday’s program with a scheduled post time of 5:26 p.m. ET. 

Named after a viral typo that President Donald Trump made on Twitter, Covfefe smashed Pimlico Race Course’s track record in the $150,000 Miss Preakness with a final time of 1:07.70 as she defeated eight fillies by 8 ½ lengths on May 17.

A 3-year-old daughter by Into Mischief, Covfefe (4: 3-0-0—$196,200) debuted in September at Churchill Downs with a 9 ¼-length maiden victory under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. Following a fourth-place effort in the Oct. 7 Frizette (G1), Covfefe returned as a 3-year-old with a gutsy half-length score in a first-level allowance event at Keeneland in early April. 

Bridgmohan, who also is the regular rider for Break Even, has the call from post position No. 2 as the lone 3-year-old filly in the field of 10 fillies and mares. Bridgmohan stated he’ll likely ride Break Even in the Test.

Covfefe’s biggest threat is three-time stakes-winning filly Mia Mischief. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Mia Mischief (14: 6-6-0—$883,420) scored an 11-1 upset in the Humana Distaff when she defeated favorite Marley’s Freedom by 1 ¾ lengths on Kentucky Derby Day. The classy daughter of Into Mischief had a stellar 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Eight Belles (G2) at Churchill Downs and a narrow runner-up effort in the Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

Mia Mischief began her 4-year-old campaign with a three-length score in a conditioned allowance event at Oaklawn and a runner-up effort in the Carousel Stakes prior to her Humana Distaff triumph.

“The Humana Distaff was her early-year goal and the Ballerina (on Aug. 24) at Saratoga is her summer goal,” Asmussen said. “Mia Mischief was part of a very special weekend for us on Derby weekend. In 2016, when we were lucky to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, I looked up the stat and we won more than 1,000 races for Bill and Corrine. It doesn’t even seem possible.”

Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Mia Mischief from post 10.

The field for the Roxelana from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Awestruck (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II, 12-1); Covfefe (Bridgmohan, Cox, 7-5); Honey Bunny (Tyler Baze, John Ortiz, 8-1); Ascot Day (Declan Cannon, Danny Peitz, 30-1); Astrollinthepark (Gabriel Saez, Larry Jones, 12-1); Classy Act(Adam Beschizza, Joe Sharp, 12-1); Upset Brewing (Edgar Morales, Buff Bradley, 20-1); Salt Bae (Corey Lanerie, Bernie Flint, 15-1); Annathela (James Graham, Arnold, 20-1); and Mia Mischief (Santana, Asmussen, 8-5).