Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine MONOMOY GIRL breezed five furlongs in a bullet :59.40 over Churchill Downs’ fast main track on Sunday prior to the 1ST Race. The sophomore lass is readying for the June 9 Acorn Stakes (G1) going a mile at Belmont Park on the Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard.
“What we were looking for,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She never disappoints us in the morning, and she has yet to disappoint us in the afternoon. I’m real pleased with her.”
Monomoy Girl was originally scheduled to hit the track around 7:30 a.m. (ET), but early morning thunderstorms left the surface muddy. Cox received permission from track officials to send his charge out later in the day so, by the time the filly stepped hoof on the dirt, the track had dried out and was labeled fast.
“I was glad we waited, and I appreciate Churchill giving us the opportunity to do this. It means a lot,” Cox said.
Regular rider Florent Geroux guided the chestnut daughter of Tapizar as she worked in company with Grade 2-placed stablemate Dazzling Gem, ticking off splits of :13, :25, :36.60 and :48.40. Monomoy Girl galloped out three-quarters in 1:12.80 and seven furlongs in 1:26.40.
“The horse she breezed with is pretty nice,” Geroux said. “She did everything really well and worked easy. She got by (Dazzling Gem) with no problem and galloped out well.”
“It was a really solid work,” Cox agreed. “It was exactly what we were looking for. We really wanted to keep her on a schedule with 13 days out from the race. We could’ve breezed her on the mud this morning but it would’ve been more of a maintenance work and I wanted to do something a little more with her. The track was better this afternoon and she did it the right way.
“If she can keep putting things together in the afternoon as she does in the morning training she’ll be tough in the Acorn.”
Monomoy Girl is perfect in three starts this year after taking the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds, the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and, most recently, the 144th running of the Kentucky Oaks under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs. The filly is 7-6-1-0 in her career, with her only loss to date coming as a neck second in last November’s Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill, which wrapped up her juvenile campaign.
“I still pinch myself that we actually won the Oaks,” Cox said. “I’m so proud of our whole team and this filly. She’s the real deal.”
Monomoy Girl will have one more, easier, work next Sunday for the Acorn.
“Definitely not as much,” Cox said. “We’ll probably just break off at the half-mile pole, go a half and out five-eighths.”
