Not This Time’s fleet-footed Cogburn topped a Grade 1 exacta for his sire and lowered the North American record for 5 ½ furlongs on the turf when he blitzed 11 rivals to win the $500,000 Jaipur S. (G1) on Saturday, June 8 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. The Jaipur, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) earned Cogburn a Breeders’ Cup berth at Del Mar in November. The impressive win, which earned Cogburn a 111 Beyer Speed Figure, provided his sire with his sixth Grade 1 winner.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Cogburn’s final time of :59.80 is a new North American record on turf, according to Equibase. The clocking shattered the previous course record of 1:00.21 set in 2019. Finishing second was Not This Time’s Arzak, who rallied strongly late to complete the exacta. The Jaipur marked the second consecutive graded stakes win for Cogburn after he captured the Turf Sprint (G2) at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Campaigned by Clark Brewster, and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Cogburn is a 5-year-old out of the Saintly Look mare In a Jif. Asmussen, who has trained the likes of champions Echo Zulu, Jackie’s Warrior, and Mitole, raved about Cogburn after the record-setting win.

“I’ve had some of the fastest horses in the world, some of the fastest horses of all time, and he’s still the first one I’ve ever had run five-and-a-half furlongs in under a minute,” Asmussen said.

Cogburn broke sharply and took command of the race early. He received some early pressure from Sosua Summer through an opening quarter in a lively :21.33. Around the far turn, Cogburn dispatched his foes and was geared down in the final strides, winning by 3 ½ lengths over a hard-charging Arzak. The runner-up is a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Not This Time. Arzak has banked $924,019 for owner Sonata Stable and trainer Michael Trombetta.

Winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr., said of Cogburn, “So fast. I can’t believe it. He was a rocket ship [out of the gate]. “When it was time to go turning for home, I felt like I was loaded. That was nice.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bellary Bloodstock, Cogburn is now 4-for-5 since switching to the turf last May. All told, he is a winner in eight of 14 lifetime starts and he has now banked $1,237,730 in a stellar racing career.

“He’s unbelievably impressive,” Asmussen said. “We gave him a freshening and he’s come back an absolute monster.”