Now with Cox, Fandom hopes to become fan favorite in Quick Call

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox has been getting familiar with a new horse in his barn during the past couple of months. Previously conditioned by Wesley Ward, Fandom joined Cox’s prolific stable after winning at 5½ furlongs in the listed Palisades Stakes at Keeneland in early April. Transferred to Cox by owner Stonestreet Stables, the British-bred sophomore has impressed his new trainer so far, especially in his recent works.

A bay son of Showcasing out of the Pivotal mare Brogan, Fandom’s three recent works over the Oklahoma Training Track turf have all been sharp, including a half-mile in 47.80 on Monday that ranked second of 54 at the distance. That form has Cox encouraged Fandom will be a big factor in today’s Grade 3 Quick Call at Saratoga Race Course, a $175,000 event at 5½ furlongs on the Mellon turf.

“He’s doing well at Saratoga. We’ve breezed him a few times and we like what we’ve seen from him,” Cox said. “He’s a really good-looking horse and he’s obviously lightly raced. He has won a couple races, so there’s not a lot of options, but based off what he’s accomplished in his short career, I definitely think he fits with this group.”

Fandom (post 3, Jose Ortiz, 9-2 morning line) made his first three starts for Ward, graduating on debut last April at Keeneland before heading overseas to finish 11th that June in the Group 2 Coventry at Royal Ascot. He returned on April 7 with a rallying score in the Palisades, besting returning rival Mansa Musa by a neck with reopposing pacesetter No Nay Mets in fourth.

Godolphin’s British homebred filly Star of Mystery (post 6, Flavien Prat, 4-5) was cross-entered in Friday’s listed $150,000 Coronation Cup here for trainer Charlie Appleby and will likely be a big favorite here if this is the spot Appleby chooses.

The Kodiac bay enjoyed success at Newmarket as a 2-year-old, taking the Maureen Brittain Memorial Empress last July 1 ahead of a runner-up effort in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge just 13 days later. Star of Mystery then wintered in Dubai while making four starts against colts at Meydan, winning the Al Wasl in her seasonal debut on Jan. 12 ahead of a score in the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint on Jan. 26. She completed her campaign with runner-up efforts in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on March 2 and the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on March 30, the last three Dubai efforts coming against older company.

Star of Mystery, who has earned $683,862 through a 4-4-1 record from 10 starts, is coming off a third-place finish here against older males in the Grade 1 Jaipur, a 5½-furlong sprint on Belmont Stakes Day won in course-record fashion by Cogburn.

Trainer George Weaver, who is just four wins shy of 1,000 career victories through Thursday, will saddle a pair of contenders in multiple stakes-winner No Nay Mets (post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 8-1) and stakes-placed Feltrinelli (post 4, Luis Saez), a 30-1 longshot.

No Nay Mets arrives from a last-of-12 finish in the Jaipur. He stumbled from the gate and raced near the back of the pack. A three-time winner from eight starts, No Nay Mets took the Royal Palm Juvenile on debut last May at Gulfstream Park. He also won the Tyro last July at Monmouth Park and the Rosies in September at Colonial Downs. No Nay Mets finished fourth to Fandom in the Palisades and crossed the wire second in the William Walker on May 1 at Churchill Downs but was disqualified and placed fourth for shifting into the path of Mansa Musa (placed third) in upper stretch.

Pura Vida Investments’ Smokey Smokey (post 2, Ramon Vazquez, 12-1) arrives from a pace-pressing score in the Paradise Creek. Trained by Mike Maker, the Mendelssohn colt broke outward but quickly corrected to press the pace of Mattingly through a half-mile in 45.11. Smokey Smokey kept the pressure on through a stirring stretch duel, getting up in the final jumps to score by a neck in a final time of 1:08.19.

Rounding out a solid field are stakes winners Set (post 8, Kendrick Carmouche, 15-1) for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and American Rascal (post 7, Joel Rosario, 20-1) for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; as well as the multiple stakes-placed Mansa Musa (post 5, Junior Alvarado, 6-1) for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and the stakes-placed Apollo Ten (post 9, Manny Franco, 15-1) for conditioner Christophe Clement. Entered for the main-track only are the Wesley Ward-trained filly Baraye, who is cross-entered in the main body of the Coronation Cup; as well as Works For Me for conditioner Joe Lee.