all in The Sport

Never enough time.

Brad Cox has been in a hurry since he grew up in the shadow of Churchill Downs and his father, Jerry, would take him to the track whenever possible.

Cox could not wait to get his racing career started. He worked as a hotwalker at 13 before being quickly elevated to groom. He was 24 when he opened his own stable.

The Return to Normalcy Tour at Churchill Downs starts Friday when the Longines Kentucky Oaks returns to its traditional spot on the eve of the first Saturday in May. A field of 13 will be on hand for the famed Grade 1 stakes that has once again attracted a stellar collection of the best 3-year-old fillies in training and turned the 1 1/8-mile stakes into a highly attractive betting affair.

After a year when many of the traditions accompanying North America’s most prestigious race were upended due to a global pandemic, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is back on schedule for 2021 to the delight of horse racing fans of all persuasions.

BloodHorse associate editor Byron King presents his final Derby Dozen presented by Spendthrift Farm with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 1.

NBC Sports will provide comprehensive coverage of the 147th Longines Kentucky Oaks on Friday and of the 147th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday.

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