Nearly undefeated Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) headlines a strong group of eight set to contest Saturday's GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds, but if she's to get the job done she'll have to navigate an expected fast pace. The Brad Cox pupil opened her account with a pair of victories on the grass, then blew the doors off Churchill's Rags to Riches at a one-turn main-track mile Oct. 29. Odds-on for that venue's GII Golden Rod S. going this 1 1/16-mile distance Nov. 25, she struggled to maintain a straight path in the lane and was nipped on the line by since unseen Road to Victory (Quality Road). Drawn widest in stall eight, the chestnut will either have to find a way to settle or out-foot several swift types drawn inside of her.
“I'm glad that we have a two-turn race under our belt,” Cox said. “I think we got a good post where we can sit off of the speed or we can be the speed. She was a little unfortunate not to win the Golden Rod. I don't really know that we have any excuses other than we just got nailed right at the wire. She's done extremely well, and she's ready to go.”
Two of the likely favorite's stiffest challenges could come from a pair of stablemates to Road to Victory in fellow Mark Casse trainees Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) and Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon). The former romped in Woodbine's GIII Mazarine S. in October, and in the GII Demoiselle S. two back at Aqueduct Dec. 2. She was run down late in the local Silverbulletday S. Jan. 13. Heavenly Love followed up an emphatic grassy graduation with an equally easy tally in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland Oct. 6. She finished far back at 3-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, however, and was fifth with a traffic-filled trip in the Silverbulletday.
“There's going to be some serious pace on Saturday and we'll sit right behind it,” Mark Casse said. “We're not going to let Brad's filly get too far away.”
One interesting closer is Patrona Margarita (Special Rate). She's been off since upsetting the GII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Sept. 16.
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