Next Easily Repeats in Greenwood Cup

Continuing his excellence in long-distance dirt races, Michael Foster's brilliant marathoner Next romped in the $200,000 Greenwood Cup Stakes (G3) on Pennsylvania Derby Day, Sept. 21, at Parx Racing. The victory was his second straight in the race, accomplished by 10 lengths. He won by 25 lengths last year. Next, a 6-year-old gray or roan gelding by Not This Time, raced 1 1/2 miles in 2:33.61 under regular rider Luan Machado, paying $2.10 to win as the overwhelming favorite. A few paths wide for much of the race while under a firm hold by his jockey, Next tracked Ridin With Biden through early fractions of :24.96, :49.94, and 1:16.55, before taking command with a mile in 1:42.97 and asserting his superiority. After 1 1/4 miles in 2:09.03, he finished his final quarter-mile in :24.58 under confident handling by Machado. Magic Michael placed, five lengths clear of show finisher Treble Clef. His victory on Saturday was his 10th in 12 starts since trainer Doug Cowans claimed him for Foster for $62,500 from an allowance optional claiming race at Keeneland in April 2022. Next is riding a seven-race win streak, with his six most recent victories coming by margins of 9 1/4 lengths or greater. Yet to be tested above the grade 2 level for his current connections, Next could pursue a grade 1 opportunity this fall, with races such as the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) under consideration. Both races are Nov. 2 at Del Mar, with the Breeders' Cup Turf at 1 1/2 miles on grass and the Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles on dirt. "There are a lot of things that can go wrong in that kind of race. I am not saying we are against it, but we will sit down and have a big conversation. The thing about the horse is we always want to have fun with him. The money doesn't matter," Cowans said. "We found something the horse likes to do and we want to keep doing it with him. "It's not solely my decision but my gut tells me to stay with the distance and give up the surface (and run on turf) if I would do something like that. I know you got to face the Europeans, and they have a good turn of foot. You worry about that. Going to the dirt mile and a quarter, I worry about the pace. We don't know where we will go but we will see." Bred in Kentucky by Silverton Hill out of the thrice stakes-placed Awesome Again mare Bahia Beach, Next is the third winner from as many foals to race for his dam. Next is among six graded/group stakes winners this year for Not This Time, who stood the 2024 breeding season at Taylor Made Stallions for a fee of $150,000. A Day for Grays: Coastal Mission Takes Parx Dirt Mile A race after the Greenwood Cup, another gray/roan, Coleswood Farm's Coastal Mission, rallied to edge Repo Rocks and Injunction in the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile Stakes. The 5-year-old Great Notion gelding raced a mile on a fast dirt track in 1:40.49 under Arnaldo Bocachica, winning by a half-length. The Jeff Runco trainee paid $4.80 to win. Smooth B Becomes Millionaire in (Off The) Turf Monster In other developments from Parx, the $250,000 Turf Monster Stakes, the day's 10th race, was moved from Parx's troubled turf course to dirt after Freedom Eagle was injured and eased after leading down the backstretch in the Alphabet Soup Handicap earlier on the card. Dust and other debris from the grass course followed the Alphabet Soup field as they raced over the course. Smooth B, a 9-year-old Pennsylvania-bred son of Weigelia, slipped up the inside from a stalking position to prevail in the five-furlong race contested on the Parx main track, defeating a scratch-reduced field that had only five starters. Mychel Sanchez rode the winner for owner LC Racing and trainer Butch Reid. Smooth B was timed in :58.31 and paid $8.60 to win. Talented Man was second followed by Jean Valjean in third. Per American Graded Stakes Committee rules, the Turf Monster was immediately downgraded one level—it had been a scheduled grade 3—though that grade could be restored if the committee, after meeting in the coming days, views the off-the-grass race field as worthy of maintaining grade 3 status. The short field would suggest this is unlikely. The Parx turf was suspended for use in late August after safety concerns were raised, led by criticism from Bob Hutt, president of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. A review of the course by Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and other officials earlier this month noted that divots had been filled with growing medium, though the course at the time had a "noticeable lack of moisture." Track officials attributed this to its irrigation system being down at the time. That system became operational again Sept. 4, Parx officials told HISA, and the course was aerated. Parx and HISA officials went forward with turf racing this week.