Monomoy Girl Sidelined With Muscle Soreness

Dual champion Monomoy Girl , edged a nose by Letruska  last out in the April 17 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park, has been sent to WinStar Farm to recover from minor muscle strains and hamstring soreness.

Horse Racing Nation first reported the news after a statement from co-owner MyRacehorse Stable was sent to shareholders of Monomoy Girl May 7.

Ned Toffey, general manager of Spendthrift Farm, which co-owns the 6-year-old Tapizar   mare with MyRacehorse Stable and Madaket Stables, confirmed Monomoy Girl arrived Friday at WinStar after undergoing a veterinary workup by Dr. Wes Sutter of Kentucky Equine Hospital. The Brad Cox trainee made her second start of 2021 in the Apple Blossom after winning the Feb. 28 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), also at Oaklawn.   

"Brad sent her in to Wes Sutter, who he uses pretty regularly," Toffey said. "Really overall the workup was pretty good news, because we were worried there might be bruising, and you're looking at anywhere from 60 to 120 days off with that kind of stuff. It was more muscle strain and just soft tissue type of stuff. It's the kind of thing that's just going to need a little time."

Monomoy Girl spent time at WinStar in 2019 when she missed her 4-year-old season due to colic and a pulled gluteal muscle. 

"She's laid up at WinStar before and they know her," Toffey said. "She'll get a break and then they can ease her back into exercise and get her back to Brad.

"Brad's always spaced her races out a little bit, I don't think we were thinking a ton more starts (before the Breeders' Cup) anyways. What the second half of the year will look like, it's the horse business, so who knows, but I don't see why she can't enjoy a great second half of the year. Brad's always taken good care of her and we'll do the same." 

With earnings of $4,776.818 and 14 wins and three seconds from 17 starts, Monomoy Girl is a two-time winner of the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). She took the 2020 edition at Keeneland and won in 2018 at Churchill Downs, where she also won the 2018 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Spendthrift bought her for $9.5 million from the ELiTE consignment at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's elite breeding stock sale, the day after her second Breeders' Cup score. She was originally a $100,000 purchase by agent Liz Crow of BSW Bloodstock from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Gainesway for breeders FPF and Highfield Ranch.

Monomoy Girl was campaigned through the early part of her career by Michael Dubb and Sol Kumin's Monomoy Stables, while The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables bought in after her first four starts. After The November Sale, Kumin joined Spendthrift and MyRacehorse in partnership on the mare through his Madaket Stables banner for her 2021 campaign.