The highly-consistent WinStar Farm-bred Bishops Bay secured his fourth Graded stakes conquest in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo entered the historic one-turn mile event from a victory in the Grade 3 Forty Niner over the same track and distance. Just over a week later, Bishops Bay was sold for $1.3 million at the Keeneland November HORA Sale, where he was acquired by current owner KAS Racing.
Bishops Bay, sent off as the 6-5 favorite, tracked the early foot of Mika down the backstretch, and reeled in the pacesetter in the final half-furlong to win by a neck. The victory elevated his lifetime earnings to $977,800. Never worse than second in 12-of-13 career starts, his impressive record now stands at 13-9-3-0 and also includes wins in the one-turn Grade 3 Westchester and two-turn Grade 3 Salvator Mile.
The next objective for Bishops Bay could be the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup on February 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
“The ownership wants to pursue that,” said Cox following the race. “If there’s another race between now and then, I’m not certain. We’ll see if this gets him directly in or exactly how we would get him in – we’ll have to talk to the Saudi Cup committee and see if they feel he’s in as of now or would need another race.”
Bishops Bay is out of the Grade 1-placed Pioneerof the Nile mare Catch My Drift, who also produced Graded stakes winner and Classic-placed Catching Freedom.
