After Carson's Run (Cupid) secured a spot in the AUS$5-million Ladbrokes G1 W. S. Cox Plate on October 26 in Australia by winning last Sunday's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational, his connections are seriously considering accepting the invitation. In U.S. dollars, the race is valued at approximately $3.3 million.
"We're interested," said Terry Finley, the managing partner of West Point Thoroughbreds, which co-owns Carson's Run with Steven Bouchy. "It's a very lucrative opportunity. I haven't yet discussed it with trainer Christophe Clement, but we're definitely open to it. That's a significant amount of money for a 3-year-old grass horse."
This marks the second consecutive year that the New York Racing Association has partnered with the Moonee Valley Racing Club to offer the Saratoga Derby Invitational winner a spot in the Cox Plate.
To date, no American-trained horse has competed in the Cox Plate. However, in 2021, Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien achieved the Saratoga Derby-Cox Plate double with State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).
Carson's Run is next slated to race in the GIII Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs on August 31. The purse for that race has recently increased from $2.5 million to $3.1 million. If Carson's Run participates, he would have just under two months to prepare for the Cox Plate.
"It's about deciding how often we want to race him and the spacing between races," Finley explained. "He's only raced three times this year, so I don't foresee any issues. We could go to Kentucky Downs, then Australia, and still prepare him for his 4-year-old season."
A potential challenge with the Cox Plate is Australia's strict quarantine regulations, requiring racehorses to complete 14 days of post-arrival quarantine. Finley stated that the final decision regarding the Cox Plate would be left to Clement.
"It seems like more and more efforts are being made to link races across different countries," Finley remarked. "That's good for the sport. I think they're taking inspiration from the Breeders' Cup in that regard."
Carson's Run is named in honour of Carson Jost, who is battling Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Jost's father, Wade, is a partner in Carson's Run and attended West Point with Finley. The late Cody Dorman, who inspired the name Cody's Wish (Curlin), also suffered from the same genetic disorder.