After an 18 month layoff, graceful and brilliant Monomoy Girl, returned to the track in the Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park to face hearty competition on a rainy, sloppy track. She sat patiently in third behind Finite and Our Super Freak under Florent Geroux.
Coming to the top of the stretch turn Monomoy Girl began to go around the outside and without missing a stride picked up momentum seemingly to glide past Finite and Our Super Freak passing the latter to easily win by two lengths. As she did, Monomoy Girl seemed to give a side eye of “there you go” to the spectators in attendance.
“It was a great trip,” said Geroux. “It set up great from the start with the outside post and short field. I let the horse in front of me do the dirty work and I just tucked in behind, on the outside, which was the smart thing today with the track condition. When I asked her turning for home, she gave me what has all the time. She always deliver so it’s easy to appreciate a champion. I’m the luckiest jockey in the world right now.”
This was two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl’s 14th victory of 16 starts bringing her career earnings to over $4.5 million.
Trained by Brad Cox for Spendthrift Farm, My Racehorse and Madaket Stables, the 6-year-old steely mare by Tapizar out of Drumette, by Henny Hughes, timed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.92.
Our Super Freak edged Finite by 1 1/4 lengths for second place, with Chance to Shine fourth, Istan Council fifth and Another Broad trailing the field. Sent off as the heavy favorite, Monomoy Girl paid $2.40 at a chalky 1-5 odds.
Cohen, aboard Our Super Freak, said: “I think my filly ran a huge race. Obviously, you go against a champion like that, a lot of horses when they get passed like that, the way she did today, it takes the heart away. She kept digging in and really grinded out a good second place. Galloped out well. I think my filly is really back on track, running her best races like she was prior.”
Santana said he had a “perfect trip” aboard Finite. “She gave me everything she had.”
Bayakoa Replay
“It’s kind of a relief to get it over with,” Cox said. “I was proud of her. She ran big. I think just given the post and the way they broke and laid going into the first turn, it set up well for her. She always kind of gets that little bit of a wide trip. Nothing really out of the ordinary. It means a lot. I’m very proud of what she accomplished today. Very, very pleased with what she was able to accomplish and bringing her to Hot Springs means a lot. It’s a great racing town. The Saratoga of the South, I guess you could call it. There were a lot of fans here and I think they appreciate our team bringing her here.”
It was a rewarding weekend for returning champions from the Brad Cox stable at Oaklawn Park. Essential Quality celebrated a successful return Saturday in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3).
The Bayakoa victory for Monomoy Girl leads toward Oaklawn’s richest race for older dirt females, the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17.
“We’ll talk it over with Spendthrift but that’s kind of been the short-term goal, the Apple Blossom here in the spring,” said Cox.
Bred in Kentucky by F P F LLC and Highfield Ranch, Monomoy Girl is out of the Henny Hughes mare Drumette, who also produced Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice).
Monomoy Girl raced Sunday carrying the black colors of MyRacehorse.com, who leased a majority of her racing rights from owner Spendthrift Farm.
Spendthrift purchased her for $9.5 million last fall from the ELiTE consignment at The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s premier breeding stock sale in Kentucky, tying for second all-time among racing and broodmare prospects sold at public auction in North America.
Prior to her sale, she raced last year for Michael Dubb, Kumin’s Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.
Monomoy Girl’s Record
2/28/2021 Oaklawn Park, Bayakoa Stakes (Gr. 3)
11/7/2020 Keeneland, Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Gr. 1)
9/4/2020 Churchill Downs, La Troienne S. presented by Oak Grove Racing and Gaming (Gr. 1)
7/11/2020 Belmont Park, Ruffian Stakes (Gr. 2)
5/16/2020 Churchill Downs, Allowance Optional Claiming
11/3/2018 Churchill Downs, Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Gr. 1)
9/22/2018 Parx Racing, Cotillion Stakes (Gr. 1) 2nd
7/22/2018 Saratoga, Coaching Club American Oaks (Gr. 1)
6/9/2018 Belmont Park, Acorn Stakes (Gr. 1)
5/4/2018 Churchill Downs, Longines Kentucky Oaks (Gr. 1)
4/7/2018 Keeneland, Central Bank Ashland Stakes (Gr. 1)
2/17/2018 Fair Grounds, Rachel Alexandra Stakes (Gr. 2)
11/25/2017 Churchill Downs, Golden Rod Stakes (Gr. 2) 2nd
10/29/2017 Churchill Downs, Rags to Riches Stakes (Black Type)
9/28/2017 Churchill Downs, Allowance Optional Claiming
9/5/2017 Indiana Grand Race Course, Maiden Special Weight
Past the Wire Staff
Photo of Monomoy Girl (Coady Photography)
