Cyberknife

Cyberknife is a multiple Grade 1 winning 3-year-old trained by Brad Cox and owned by Gold Square LLC. 

Cyberknife went off as the 6-5 favorite in his debut, a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs on Sept. 25, 2021. Although he crossed the wire first, he was disqualified for bumping a rival in the stretch. Two starts later, Cyberknife broke his maiden for good, winning at Fair Grounds by a half-length on Dec. 26. He disappointed in his stakes debut, the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 22, but bounced back with a three-length win in a first-level allowance optional claiming race on Feb. 19.

The colt punched his ticket for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve starting gate on Apr. 2, when he won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby by 2 3/4 lengths. He rated off the pace in a tightly-bunched field, then took the lead on the turn and held off the charge of the filly, Secret Oath, for the victory. The race earned him 100 qualifying points for the Derby.

Cyberknife was a non-factor in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 18^th of 20. However, he got back to the winner’s circle in his very next start, battling gamely through the stretch and scoring a nose decision over Howling Time in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes June 12 at Churchill Downs.

That race set him up for a start in the $1 million, Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes July 23 at Monmouth Park. With Geroux riding, Cyberknife sat off of the pace and saved ground, and then found room in early stretch. He rallied along the rail past odds-on favorite Jack Christopher and then was all-out to hold off second betting choice Taiba by a head for his second Grade 1 victory. Cyberknife earned an automatic berth to the Nov. 5 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic with the victory via the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series.

Cyberknife proceeded to Saratoga Race Course for his next start in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes on August 27, where he got his chance at a rematch over horses like Rich Strike, Epicenter, and Zandon who had beaten him in the Kentucky Derby. Cyberknife was sent off as the 9-2 odds second choice on the tote board in the Travers, where he pressed the early pace and took over to lead down the backstretch and around the far turn. He was passed by the eventual winner, Epicenter, turning for home, and gamely ran on to preserve a distant runner-up finish.

Cyberknife came right back on Sept. 24 for his next start, which came in the Grade 1 $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.  Cyberknife raced far off the pace and passed horses too little, too late to settle for third, beaten 6 3/4 lengths by runaway winner Taiba, who got his revenge on Cyberknife who  had beaten him over the summer in the Haskell.

For his Breeders' Cup target, Cyberknife chose the Grade 1 $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 5. The decision to skip the Classic nearly paid off with a win and did result in a second-place finish for Cyberknife, who was runner-up behind Cody's Wish by a head after a thrilling head and head battle through deep stretch.

Cyberknife sold for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase in 2020. His sire (father) is 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner. His dam (mother), Awesome Flower, was a five-time stakes winner.