Monmouth: Idiomatic is a star for Cox, but Timberlake could shine

Timberlake, who takes on a talented field of sophomores Saturday in the $1.05 million, Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park, shares his name with the world famous prince of pop Justin Timberlake. But Idiomatic, set to go in the Molly Pitcher (G3) on the Haskell undercard, is the headliner in the Brad Cox barn these days.

“She is a superstar,” assistant trainer Katie Tolbert said of the reigning champion older dirt female and one of the top three finalists for 2023 horse of the year. “She is awesome. We love her.”

There’s a lot to love about Juddmonte’s homebred 5-year-old daughter of Curlin. An earner of $3,176,840 and the winner of 10 of 14 outings with two seconds and two thirds, she is a four-time Grade 1 winner. Last year she won eight of nine starts, including three straight top-level races, and capped her season with a Breeders’ Cup Distaff crown and the Eclipse award.

This year she picked up right where she left off, taking the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard in her comeback from a break, and then missing by a head in the Ogden Phipps (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

On Saturday, Idiomatic takes on six other fillies and mares in the $500,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

“The decision to run in this race was that I wanted a race between the Ogden Phipps and the Personal Ensign (a Grade 1 at Saratoga on Aug. 23), and if the right race presented itself we’d go for it,” said Cox, a two-time Eclipse award-winning trainer. “I wanted to bring her back home to Churchill Downs and train her.

“I love the way she’s trained. She’s had three really nice works since the Ogden Phipps, and I thought this would be the perfect race. This is something I thought of the morning after the Ogden Phipps. Everything’s moved well so far.”

The plan has worked to perfection before. In 2019 Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen brought Midnight Bisou to Monmouth Park after her victory in the Ogden Phipps, and she won the Molly Pitcher before going forward to win the Personal Ensign. The three-graded stakes scores catapulted her to an Eclipse award as the top older dirt female that year.

“It did work out for Midnight Bisou,” Tolbert said. “Hopefully, it will for us, too. “

Idiomatic and Timberlake arrived at Monmouth on Thursday morning with the rest of the Cox contingent and quickly settled into their new surroundings.

Timberlake, owned by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, has been idle since his fourth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 30. Nonetheless, his connections are convinced the Grade 1 winner is ready to take on a tough field that includes the Belmont Stakes top two finishers, Dornoch and Mindframe, respectively.

Fierceness, winner of the Florida Derby (G1) and the 2023 champion 2-year-old male, also is entered.

“As a 2-year-old he was rowdy and rambunctious. He wasn’t difficult, but he was on his toes all the time,” Tolbert said of Timberlake, who won the Champagne (G1) at Belmont last year. “He had a little time off over the winter and spring and since he’s come back, he’s really grown up a lot.

“I still see the same fire and desire in him. He’s been breezing great. He seems like he’s come back really well, maybe better than he was before. We’re really happy with what we’re seeing, and we’re looking forward to a great day.”

Timberlake, a son of Into Mischief, will break from Post 4 under regular rider Flavien Prat. The jockey and trainer are looking to extend their Monmouth Park luck with the maternal grandson of 2010 Haskell and Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky.

In three previous attempts, Prat and Cox have won the Haskell twice, with Mandaloun in 2021 and track and stakes record setter Cyberknife in 2022.

The Haskell is a win-and-you’re-in for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 2. At this point in the season the race for the 3-year-old male divisional championship honors is wide open.

“This is a big race. There’s a lot of extra emphasis this year. This is an important race to win,” Tolbert said. “We’ve had a lot of good races here in the Haskell, and hopefully we’ll have another one.”