Monomoy Girl a Model of Consistency in Acorn Breeze

A picture of consistency and poise, Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Monomoy Girl showed she hasn't lost a step in her month off since the classic victory with an easy half-mile breeze in :47 1/5 at Churchill Downs.

The June 3 breeze was the final timed work for Monomoy Girl—owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables—before she heads to Belmont Park for the $700,000 Acorn Stakes presented by Nassau County IDA (G1) June 9. The Brad Cox trainee worked over the Louisville oval in company with 5-year-old gelding Dazzling Gem. She had splits of :12 2/5, :24, and :36, then galloped out to five furlongs in :59 4/5 and six furlongs in 1:12 3/5, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Dazzling Gem was timed at :47 4/5 for four furlongs. 

"It was a solid breeze," Cox said. "I was really pleased with the way she was moving, how she cooled out, (and she) scoped fine. We'll just keep her happy and healthy and fly her up on Wednesday."

Triple Crown hopeful Justify will also make his trip to Belmont on June 6, along with several others competing in races on the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) undercard. 

"I think everybody is on the same plane," Cox said. 

The millionaire daughter of Tapizar  has had only one misstep in her seven-race career, when she finished a neck behind Road to Victory in the Nov. 25 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill. While the one-mile Acorn will be her Belmont debut, Cox is confident the distance falls exactly within his filly's wheelhouse. 

"I'm OK with the distance. I think anywhere between a mile and a mile and an eighth is her best distance. Her last time around one turn—actually her only time around one turn—I think was the most impressive race she's run, when she won the Rags to Riches Stakes here at Churchill as a 2-year-old in the fall." 

Jockey Florent Geroux, who has been aboard for Monomoy Girl's last six starts, will have the mount again in the Acorn. 

Among several graded stakes winners nominated to the June 9 test is reigning 2-year-old champion filly Caledonia Road, who logged her final bullet work May 26. The Quality Road  filly breezed five furlongs in :58.87 over the Belmont main track, the fastest of 12 at the distance. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will have the call.