The Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) winner may have a new rider for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in Luis Saez, but there’s little doubt trainer Brad Cox has himself one of the favorites in the Run for the Roses. A son of champion sire Into Mischief, Commandment has won four of five races, including a maiden win at Churchill Downs.
Commandment has been thriving this year, going 3-for-3 in stakes and piling up the most Derby qualifying points (150). He’s by perennial champion sire Into Mischief, father of Derby heroes Authentic, Mandaloun and Sovereignty. He showed great courage in winning photo finishes for Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and with Flavien Prat in the Florida Derby.
So, you may wonder why neither of those superstars will be riding him in the Derby. Don’t be concerned that Ortiz chose to stick with prerace favorite Renegade and Prat stayed on Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Emerging Market for trainer Chad Brown, one of his main patrons. Luis Saez landed on a standout colt in his frustrating quest for his first Derby trophy.
Saez knows what it feels like to finish first in the big race, which he did on Maximum Security in 2019 before being disqualified for interference after a 22-minute inquiry.
Trainer Brad Cox had the opposite experience when runner-up Mandaloun was awarded the 2021 Derby on the DQ of Medina Spirit. He has two other contenders this year – runaway Blue Grass Stakes (G1) champ Further Ado and Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Fulleffort – but Commandment could be his best chance to cross the wire in front.
“He’s progressed very well since he began his career,” Cox said. “Every time we’ve asked him to stretch out in distance he’s handled it. He’s a big, stout colt with a good mind.”
Cox points to Commandment’s versatility as a major plus.
“He hasn’t had to have a certain trip in order to win,” he said. “He’s come up the inside, he’s come around horses and come between horses. He was able to close into a moderate pace in the Florida Derby, which was encouraging.
“He’s one that should be set up for a big effort come Derby Day.”
Commandment, as well as Cox-trained Further Ado, has a 115 Equibase rating, which tops the list of Derby contenders. His top Equibase speed figure is 99 from his Fountain of Youth win.
On paper, Commandment is one of the most logical winners. He can stay within striking distance of any pace setup and has strong closing fractions. He belongs on all win tickets and in exotic wagers.
Notes
- Brad Cox, 46, grew up a few blocks from Churchill Downs and became interested in racing on trips there with his father.
- Commandment breezed 5 furlongs in 59.60 seconds outside stablemate Direct Strike on Friday at Churchill Downs, his second work since his Florida Derby win on March 28.
- He cost $500,000 at the September 2024 Keeneland Yearling Sale.
Ed McNamara is an award-winning racing writer who has covered the sport since 1981 for The Bergen (N.J.) Record, Newsday, ESPN, Thorocap, and USRacing. He is the author of Cajun Racing: From the Bush Tracks to the Triple Crown and Racing Around the World, and a contributor to The Most Glorious Crown and The Racetracks of America. He has also written for racing publications in France and Italy.
