Hitshow puts Brad Cox Barn at the top of the Kenneland charts for 2025

What’s the best way to top the charts? Maybe it’s part of a hit show.

Saturday, October 25 closed the curtain on racing at Keeneland for 2025. Always super competitive, the Fall Meet training title came down to the last day and even the last few races. The good news for trainer Brad Cox was that there was a Hit Show waiting in the wings.

The Grade 3 Hagyard Fayette Stakes for three-year-olds and over was a showdown for first place among the conditioners. Tied for first were Kentucky practice players Brad Cox and Brendan Walsh. Both saddled top contenders, with Walsh dispatching Gosger, who was the overtime favorite and one-for-one alive at Keeneland, while Cox had the experienced Hit Show, who was also undefeated at Keeneland in two previous matches and the 2025 Dubai World Cup winner. This was almost like a game seven setting with all the marbles on the line.

The horses broke and as the drama unfolded there was Gosger following the pace and Hit Show not far behind and preparing to strike. As the horses turned for home, Walsh’s charge took the lead and headed towards the wire as Hit Show loomed. Under the expert guidance of jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Hit Show split the horses and used his usual late kick as he shot into the lead in deeper stretches. Rolling strongly to the finish, Hit Show closed the curtains a bit.

“Hit Show is a very, very consistent horse and Irad did a great job of keeping him in the race from the outpost early,” Cox said. “He saved ground in both corners and finished strongly. He has been very good all year and we are very fortunate to have a horse like him in our stable. We have been fortunate to have many fine horses in our stable over the last ten years and now he is among the top of our money earners.”

Hit Show’s victory gave Cox his 12^e won the competition and secured the training title for this smart conditioner. Cox tied with Walsh for the title at the Spring Meet and carries the overall crown for 2025 as the leading trainer at the historic Keeneland Race Course. Hagyard Fayette’s score marked the 11^e trip to the winner’s circle in 22 lifetime starts for Hit Show, pushing this son of Candy Ride’s earnings to $8,785,183. This was also Brad Cox’s eighth training title at Keeneland.