Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) is a neck short of having a perfect record, but returned to winning ways Saturday with a 2 1/2-length score in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds, earning 50 points towards a start in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Breaking a step slow and to the right from the outside post in this eight-horse affair, the 4-5 chalk was a bit headstrong, running off the rail in last as Testing One Two (Star Guitar) and Classy Act (Into Mischief) battled through an opening quarter in :23.58. Florent Geroux gave the chestnut her head after a half-mile went up in :46.83 and she swiftly advanced up the outside to be a three-wide second turning for home. Drawing even with leader Classy Act in early stretch, Monomoy Girl bore right sharply, but was quickly corrected by Geroux and extended clear to win as she pleased. Classy Act held second and “TDN Rising Star” Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) came running late for third.
A decisive debut winner on turf at Indiana Downs Sept. 5, Monomoy Girl followed suit with an optional claimer score on the Churchill Downs lawn Sept. 28. The $100,000 KEESEP buy proved to be quite versatile, taking to dirt with aplomb with a 6 1/2-length triumph in the Rags to Riches S. beneath the Twin Spires Oct. 29 and was run down late to finish a neck second in the GII Golden Rod S. there Nov. 25.
“I wasn't thinking good thoughts,” winning trainer Brad Cox said of Monomoy Girl's slow break. “I was shocked she got away like that, although she had gate trouble earlier before she ever run. That's why decided to run her long first time on the turf. Her last three works at the Fair Grounds have been phenomenal. I was a little worried that some of the other fillies had a race on her over the last month. She showed us a lot. Overcoming things, dirt in her face, passing horses, stuff like that. She's becoming a big girl.”
“(I felt good) at the three-eighths pole, when I went by Wonder Gadot,” Geroux added. “I was fully loaded and the horse on the lead was coming back to me fairly easily, she goofs around a little bit at the end, she's pretty much done that in all of her starts, I don't think she's a big fan of the whip, if she keeps on running and winning, I don't need to use it. I think there are a couple things we can work with Brad and his team on and I think she can overcome that. The main thing is we know she can run fast. She spooks around a little bit, sometimes the whip or a little mark on the ground. She's very aware of what's going on in front of her.”
Pedigree Notes:
Monomoy Girl is the first graded stakes winner for 2012 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor Tapizar. Her dam Drumette is a daughter of MSW Endless Parade and a half-sister to GSW turfer and sire Drum Major (Dynaformer). The 10-year-old mare produced a 2-year-old full-brother to the winner named Cowboy Diplomacy and a yearling colt by Palace Malice. She was bred back to Shackleford.
RACHEL ALEXANDRA S.-GII, $196,000, FG, 2-17, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.26, ft.
1–MONOMOY GIRL, 120, f, 3, by Tapizar
1st Dam: Drumette, by Henny Hughes
2nd Dam: Endless Parade, by Williamstown
3rd Dam: Mnemosyne, by Saratoga Six
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($100,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O- M.
Dubb, Monomoy Stables, LLC, The Elkstone Group LLC &
Bethlehem Stables LLC; B-FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
5-4-1-0, $256,550. Click eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
[bullet ad=”pocket-aces-racing-double-monomoy-girl”][bullet ad=”paul-sharp-double-congratulations”][bullet ad=”bsw-public-auction-purchase”][bullet ad=”frankfort-park-farm-raised-grazed-at”][bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Classy Act, 116, f, 3, Into Mischief–Acting Class, by Distorted
Humor. ($92,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Carl R. Moore
Management LLC; B-George Krikorian (KY); T-W. Bret Calhoun.
$40,000.[bullet ad=”hillndale-consigned”]3–Wonder Gadot, 122, f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Loving Vindication,
by Vindication. ($80,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $325,000 2yo '17
OBSAPR). 'TDN RISING STAR' O-Gary Barber; B-Anderson
Farms Ont. Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse. $20,000.[bullet ad=”brookdale-prepped-and-sold”][bullet ad=”anderson-farms-bred-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, 3HF. Odds: 0.90, 7.30, 2.30.
Also Ran: Patrona Margarita, Testing One Two, She's a Julie, Heavenly Love. Scratched: Actress On Board. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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