Trainer Brad Cox's outfit was like a hen on a June bug towards the end of Keeneland's 'Fall Stars' meet and subsequently kept pouncing on wins at Churchill, Horseshoe Indy and Aqueduct as the calendar flipped to the more autumn-like weather of November.Louisville's favorite son collected 20 winner's circle visits across 61 starts from Oct. 21 on, which included a Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) playlist in the GIII Hagyard Fayette Stakes, an Oaks points deposit for Life of Joy (Gun Runner) in the Rags to Riches Stakes and taking a bow for the Ozone Park faithful was 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) in the GIII Forty Niner Stakes.The dual Eclipse Award-winning conditioner may have had only a pair of turf entries at the Breeders' Cup last weekend, but that means little when it comes to the health and power of his stable.Rolling into a graded stakes Saturday with a head full of steam, Cox has Encino (Nyquist) slated for the GIII River City Stakes going nine furlongs on the grass under the Twin Spires. You will remember the dark bay because he wired the field as a 3-year-old in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, which is always the final Derby prep.Sent to the sidelines with an injury before the 'Run for the Roses', the Godolphin homebred returned earlier this year and has since shifted to race primarily on the turf. Last seen scoring over the all-weather in the Presque Isle Downs Mile, Encino will probably be the favorite in the River City with Irad Ortiz Jr. up.“He's a very classy horse who gives it his all on any surface,” said Trace Messina, assistant trainer to Cox. “He's a fast horse but has shown he's able to sit off the pace if he needs to. We're looking forward to him running another top effort on Saturday.”The 4-year-old will face a solid group of experienced specialists though, which includes GSW Lagynos (Kantharos), GSW Taking Candy (Twirling Candy) and GISP Chasing the Crown (Skipshot).Lemon Zest, Godolphin blue through and through | Coady MediaFlavien Prat rode Encino at Presque Isle, but the top jockey–who was on fire himself at the Big A last Sunday–hops aboard Lemon Zest (Nyquist) for New York's GII Mother Goose Stakes. Another homebred for Godolphin, the filly won at second asking at Churchill Downs in late June and then cleared an allowance condition at Ellis Park in mid-August. Trying higher-level company for the first time in GIII Remington Park Oaks in late September, Lemon Zest was the runner-up to So There She Was (Munnings), who ships into New York for trainer Doug O'Neill.Lemon Zest's form shows she can put on some early lick and she is going to need every ounce of it against upstarts like Being Myself (Curlin) and Fully Subscribed (Tiz the Law), plus the presence of GI Longines Kentucky Oaks runner-up Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro). The latter, a Whit Beckman trainee, won the Busher Invitational at Aqueduct Mar. 1 and has not been seen since her surprising 32-1 longshot Oaks performance.“She [Drexel Hill] had a very small flake removed from her knee,” Beckman said. “She came back very quickly and seems to be stronger than ever. She has been off for quite a while. Coming back at a mile and an eighth at Aqueduct is no easy task.” Here's the tea on the Long Island & more… Carded at the Big A on Saturday is also the GIII Hill Prince Stakes, which could be a lawn slugfest in the later stages between MGSP Noble Confessor (Quality Road), SW Stars and Strides (American Pharoah) and Mayor of Midnight (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).With a distance test as the finale on the card, the GIII Long Island Stakes includes MGSP Way to Be Marie (Not This Time), who was forced to scratch with an issue before the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. The 4-year-old filly stands in the way of MGSW & route specialist Beach Bomb (SAf) (Lancaster Bomber).The cold blast from Canada is almost here, but not before Woodbine offers a trio of toasty graded stakes on Saturday.In the GIII Maple Leaf, the ever-consistent Blitz (Uncle Mo) should be able to make the class jump for trainer Mark Casse.However, Casse's trio of runners in the GIII Bessarabian Stakes–which includes GSP Mo Fox Given (Mo Town) who is supplemented to Keeneland's HORA sale next week–could face stiff competition from Miguel Clement's stable in graded stakes winners Love Cervere (Into Mischief) and Les Reys (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}). Of note, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach) makes the race, while Brad Cox entrant GSP Ellen Jay (Constitution), out of superstar Covfefe, hopes to draw-in off the also-eligible list.Finally, the GIII Autumn Stakes includes GSW & morning-line favorite Funtastic Again (Funtastic) and GSW Swift Delivery (Not This Time), who is co-owned by future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.The post Hot-Handed Cox Barn Plays Godolphin Aces On Graded Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.