Monomoy Girl, Vexatious Meet Again in La Troienne

Back in July, Calumet Farm's Vexatious registered somewhat of a surprise when she finished second at 14-1 odds to the heavily favored Monomoy Girl in the Ruffian Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.

About eight weeks later, the grade 1-winning mares are on a collision course once again, only this time it will be a showdown with major implications for the Breeders' Cup and Eclipse Award voting that will take place in the Sept. 4 $500,000 La Troienne Stakes Presented by Oak Grove Racing and Gaming (G1) at Churchill Downs.

"Bring it on," said Sol Kumin, who owns Monomoy Girl through a partnership of his Monomoy Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables. "They have a nice filly in Vexatious."

That "nice" filly came out of her July 11 tussle with Monomoy Girl razor sharp and went on to pull off the shocker of the year in the older female division. She used her grit and determination to fight off a stretch bid by 3-10 favorite Midnight Bisou and defeat the 2019 champion female by a neck at 9-1 odds in the Aug. 1 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. 

Trainer Jack Sisterson originally spoke about resting Vexatious until the Oct. 4 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, but the daughter of Giant's Causeway has been training so forwardly at the Spa that Sisterson revised those plans.

"The way she has been acting, I wouldn't be doing my job as a trainer if I didn't run her for two months. We're letting her tell us where we should run her," Sisterson said about the 6-year-old winner of four of 23 career starts whose only other graded stakes win came in the 2018 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes (G3). "She always gives you 100%, so if she's feeling well, why not?"

Sisterson added that if Vexatious turns in another strong effort Friday against seven rivals in the 1 1/16-mile test, she might wind up running in the Spinster after all, where she could meet Midnight Bisou again.

"She's such a hearty filly and the Giant's Causeway traits are coming out in her," Sisterson said about the filly bred by James Weigel and the Giant's Causeway Syndicate who was bought for $150,000 by the BBA (Ireland) from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. "We'll see how she runs in the La Troienne, but I wouldn't rule out running her in the Spinster."

Trainer Brad Cox has taken a much more patient approach with Monomoy Girl, who was the champion 3-year-old filly in 2018. Sidelined for 18 months by a variety of ailments, the 5-year-old daughter of Tapizar  returned to the races May 16, taking an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs. She then beat Vexatious by two lengths in the one-turn mile Ruffian.

After both the allowance race and the Ruffian, Monomoy Girl could have wheeled back in first the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) and then the Personal Ensign, but her connections fought off the temptation to get too ambitious too soon after such a lengthy layoff.

"Both times there was a race three-to-four weeks after a start that could have fit her," Kumin said, "but Brad stayed patient and passed on them. His plan is to get her to the Breeders' Cup again and he needs to remain patient."

Since the Ruffian, Monomoy Girl has continued to train in a manner that promises to make her the betting favorite in a race at the same Louisville track where she won the 2018 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), both at 1 1/8-mile distances. In contrast, Vexatious' lone stakes at Churchill Downs was a fourth in the 2017 Kentucky Oaks.

"She's been doing great," Kumin said. "Brad has been super happy after the last few breezes. He gave her plenty of time and spaced the races out and that's been the right move."

Most likely, the La Troienne will be the final start before the Distaff for Monomoy Girl. What will be subject to more debate is whether the ownership group will decide to bring her back for a 6-year-old campaign. To date, she has only started 13 times, with 11 wins and earnings of $3,086,118, and the recent creation of the $20 million Saudi Cup, a race in which Midnight Bisou earned $3.5 million in February for a second-place finish, adds to the incentive for keeping her in training.

"Right now, our plan is to enter her in (The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Nov. 8 select breeding stock sale), but with this ownership group, as soon as the year is over, we'll get together and decide if it's the right decision to bring her back," said Kumin. "Because of races like the Saudi Cup there are places to run a horse at 6 and you can make it work financially. She is lightly raced. Of course, it's possible to bring her back, but none of us are breeders so she definitely will be sold. It's just a question if we sell her this year or next year."

Vexatious and jockey Tyler Gaffalione drew Post 2 for Friday's race while Monomoy Girl and Florent Geroux will break from the outside in Post 8.

She's a Julie, who is seeking back-to-back wins in the La Troienne, Horologist, With Dignity, Saracosa, Risky Mandate, and Lady Kate are also entered.

Entries: La Troienne S. presented by Oak Grove Racing and Gaming (G1)

Churchill Downs, Friday, September 04, 2020, Race 11

• Grade I
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:50 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Horologist (NJ)	John R. Velazquez	120	William I. Mott	4/1
2	2Vexatious (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	Jack Sisterson	4/1
3	3With Dignity (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Ian R. Wilkes	30/1
4	4Saracosa (KY)	Martin Garcia	118	Cipriano Contreras	20/1
5	5Risky Mandate (KY)	David Cohen	118	Thomas M. Amoss	20/1
6	6She's a Julie (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	123	Steven M. Asmussen	6/1
7	7Lady Kate (KY)	Javier Castellano	118	Eddie Kenneally	15/1
8	8Monomoy Girl (KY)	Florent Geroux	123	Brad H. Cox	4/5