Cozzene began racing at age three, winning three of six starts. At age four he won three more races from ten starts and ran third in the Breeders' Cup Mile. In 1985, the then five-year-old Cozzene had his best year in racing with wins in won four of eight starts. The previous year, in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park Racetrack, Cozzene had finished third but came back to win the November 2, 1985 edition at Aqueduct Racetrack . His 1985 performances earned him the 1985 Eclipse Award for American Champion Male Turf Horse.
