Shotgun Hottie Aims to Hit the Mark in Monmouth Oaks

Trainer Billy Morey didn't get anywhere near the result he was looking for July 16 when he made his first-ever trip to Monmouth Park but that isn't stopping him from making a return visit this weekend.

Morey, who has divisions in Kentucky and at Saratoga Race Course, sends out Shotgun Hottie  July 31 in the $250,000 Monmouth Oaks (G3), with the Kentucky-bred daughter of Gun Runner   coming off a near-miss in the Delaware Oaks (G3) in her last start. She lost by a head to Midnight Stroll .

"It was a good race," he said. "It was an exciting race. It looked like we were going to win, but the winner ran a very good race. They were a head apart at the wire. Both fillies raced super."

Almost two weeks ago, Morey's first start at Monmouth in a training career that began in 2001, yielded a fifth with Marissa's Lady  in the Blue Sparkler Stakes.

The 98th edition of the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Oaks seems an even tougher challenge, with trainer Brad Cox starting grade 1 winner Juju's Map , Todd Pletcher sending out group 3 winner and Mother Goose Stakes (G2) runner-up Shahama , and Ken McPeek entering Indiana Oaks (G3) second-place finisher Runaway Wife .

Morey only took over the training duties for Shotgun Hottie this year, and she has responded with a win in the Ruthless Stakes, a second in the Busher Invitational Stakes, and a third in the Gazelle Stakes (G3), all at Aqueduct Racetrack prior to the Delaware Oaks.

"Those fillies are a little more accomplished than we are right now," said Morey. "But she's sharp right now and training well, and it's a good time to take a chance again against this caliber of fillies."

Owned by Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje, Shotgun Hottie sports a 2-3-1 line from eight starts with earnings of $269,720.

She is training well enough that Morey is bringing her back in four weeks. Dylan Davis rides.

"The timing is actually good," Morey said. "She had three months off before her first start this year. Coming back in one month this time is perfect. She is really consistent. We'd just like to get another 'W' on the ledger with her." 

Shotgun Hottie will likely need to catch Juju's Map, the likely Monmouth Oaks pacesetter under Paco Lopez.

A disappointing third in the one-turn Mother Goose at Belmont as the favorite, Albaugh Family Stables' Juju's Map has otherwise been first or second in her other starts. She won the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) last fall at Keeneland and ran second after a tardy start in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar in the highlights of her 2-year-old season.

"Obviously, when she raced below expectations, we had to re-route," Cox said of the Mother Moose. "So we're at Monmouth Park, and we're back to two turns. I think that might have been the excuse. She's not a one-turn horse."

She makes her third start as a 3-year-old Sunday following a comeback victory in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs and her show finish in the Mother Goose.

Silverleaf , third in the Indiana Oaks and another starter for McPeek, and longshot maiden Office Etiquette  round out the six-horse field.

Entries: Monmouth Oaks (G3)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 31, 2022, Race 5

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 2:11 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Silverleaf (KY)	Jairo Rendon	117	Kenneth G. McPeek	10/1
2	2Shotgun Hottie (KY)	Dylan Davis	119	William E. Morey	7/2
3	3Juju's Map (KY)	Paco Lopez	117	Brad H. Cox	3/2
4	4Runaway Wife (KY)	Samuel Marin	117	Kenneth G. McPeek	4/1
5	5Shahama (KY)	Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.	121	Todd A. Pletcher	9/5
6	6Office Etiquette (KY)	UNKNOWN	115	John D. Stephens	30/1