Monomoy Girl Returns to Work Tab With Fair Grounds Spin

Monomoy Girl, unraced since winning the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) in November 2018 during a championship season as a 3-year-old filly, took a step toward her latest comeback Feb. 28 by breezing three furlongs in :37 3/5 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

The workout was her first of the year after she began light training at Paul Sharp Stables near Williston, Fla., where she was jogged and galloped. She joined trainer Brad Cox at Fair Grounds in mid-January. 

"She's doing really well," said bloodstock agent Liz Crow, an adviser to the mare's owners. "Brad said she really went nice this morning and wasn't asking her to do a lot, obviously, with her first three-eighths, but everything is on track."

The 5-year-old daughter of Tapizar  experienced a couple of setbacks in 2019 that left her unraced as a 4-year-old. First in training last spring, she was sidelined due to what her connections said was a mild case of colic. In the fall, she was sidelined with a pulled hamstring after a Sept. 7 workout.

Monomoy Girl won six of seven starts in 2018, including the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. Her only loss that year came when she was disqualified from first and placed second behind Midnight Bisou for interference in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing.

While Monomoy Girl was on the shelf last year, Midnight Bisou became the champion older dirt female.

A winner of nine of 11 races and over $2.9 million, Monomoy Girl is owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin's Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables. She was purchased by Crow, a partner in Bradley Weisbord's BSW Bloodstock and ELiTE Sales, for her owners for $100,000 from the Gainesway consignment at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Crow said there is no specific race plotted for the mare but that she would likely head to Kentucky within a month to prepare for a spring return. 

As for her half brother Mr. Monomoy, the winner of the first division of the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds, he goes next in the either the March 21 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) there or the April 4 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (2) at Keeneland, with the latter race the more likely of the two, Crow said. The Palace Malice  colt shares similar ownership with Monomoy Girl and is also trained by Cox.

Their stablemate British Idiom has the April 4 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on her itinerary, though the March 21 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) is also being considered, Crow said. Last year's champion 2-year-old filly ran second to Finite in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) in her season debut.

Crow said two other Cox trainees she has ties with would continue to race at Oaklawn Park over the next couple of months. Southwest Stakes (G3) runner-up Wells Bayou runs in the March 14 Rebel Stakes (G2), and Razorback Handicap (G3) winner Warrior's Charge goes in the April 18 Oaklawn Handicap (G2). 

Lance and Clint Gasaway own Wells Bayou, and Warrior's Charge races for Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables.