Monomoy Girl Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in Runaway Vote

Usually there are ups and downs in racing, but when it comes to the 2018 season of Monomoy Girl, there are ups and higher ups.

In a campaign that began in February and ended in November, the amazingly consistent Monomoy Girl won six races, reached the wire first in all seven of her starts, and secured five grade 1 victories at four tracks to run away with the Eclipse Award for top 3-year-old filly.

In defeating other top 3-year-old fillies in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs, the Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, before topping off the splendid season with a clear victory against older females in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Churchill, Monomoy Girl also earned a nod as a Horse of the Year finalist.

Sol Kumin, who campaigns Monomoy Girl with Michael Dubb, Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group, and Michael Caruso's Bethlehem Stables, said you always have a plan for a horse, but it's rare when that envisioned approach completely comes together.

"You always come up with a plan with every top horse you have, and rarely are you able to follow it. Things happen, right? They get sick and they get hurt and they don't run where you think they're going to run," Kumin said. "She's just put herself in a position to keep coming back and stick with (Brad Cox's) plan."

Kumin credited Cox, who secured his first grade 1 win as a trainer when Monomoy Girl cruised to an easy score in the Ashland in April, with keeping the daughter of Tapizar  on schedule.

"The guy is super talented, and he works as hard as anybody I've seen in this sport," Kumin said of Cox, who now boasts his first Eclipse Award winner in Monomoy Girl. 

Florent Geroux guided Monomoy Girl in all seven of her 2018 starts. Bred in Kentucky by FPF (Brendan and Olive Gallagher) and Highfield Ranch (Michael Hernon), the daughter of Tapizar—Drumette, by Henny Hughes, is the first grade 1 winner for her Gainesway-based sire.

Monomoy Girl joins Untapable (2014) and Ashado (2004) as the only fillies to win the Kentucky Oaks and the Distaff in the same season. Monomoy Girl started from the outside post (14 in the Oaks, 11 in the Distaff) in both of those races.