Cox: Monomoy Girl, Owendale posted unrecorded works
Travers Stakes hopeful Owendale and champion filly Monomoy Girl both put in timed works last weekend at Churchill Downs, trainer Brad Cox said Thursday, though the breezes haven't yet registered on Equibase.
Owendale went five furlongs in 1:00.4 as he prepares for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Mid-Summer Derby on Aug. 24. He’ll breeze again Saturday in Louisville, Ky., before shipping Tuesday to Saratoga, Cox said.
The Travers will be Owendale’s first start since winning the Ohio Derby (G3) on June 22 at Thistledown. His workouts since then have included a bullet 58.8-second breeze Aug. 3 at Churchill.
“He’s trained extremely well and he’s getting plenty of time between starts,” Cox said. “I thought one of his better races this year was (his victory April 13 in Keeneland’s Grade 3 Lexington Stakes). That was off nearly a two-month layoff.
“He’s coming into this race in a similar fashion as far as timing and everything.”
The 1 ¼-mile Travers will mark the longest race of Owendale’s career. The 3-year-old Into Mischief colt closed well going a furlong shorter May 18 in the Preakness Stakes, finishing third at Pimlico.
“The mile and the quarter is a little bit of an unknown,” Cox said. “Hopefully he’ll answer the question next Saturday.”
2019 Travers Stakes (G1)
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Security New Year's Day | J. Servis |
| Possible | ||||
| Tacitus Tapit | W. Mott |
| Probable | ||||
| Code of Honor Noble Mission | C. McGaughey III |
| Probable | ||||
| Owendale Into Mischief | B. Cox |
| Probable | ||||
| Spinoff Hard Spun | T. Pletcher |
| Possible | ||||
| Tax Arch | D. Gargan |
| Probable | ||||
| Global Campaign Curlin | S. Hough |
| Possible | ||||
| Endorsed Medaglia d'Oro | K. McLaughlin |
| Probable | ||||
| Looking At Bikinis Lookin At Lucky | C. Brown |
| Probable | ||||
| Laughing Fox Union Rags | S. Asmussen |
| Probable | ||||
| Chess Chief Into Mischief | D. Stewart |
| Possible | ||||
| Everfast Take Charge Indy | D. Romans |
| Probable | ||||
| Highest Honors Tapit | C. Brown |
| Probable |
Monomoy Girl breezed three furlongs in 36 3/4 seconds last weekend. It was the 4-year-old’s first timed work since a mild case of colic sent her to the sidelines in early April.
Cox said the five-time Grade 1 winner will work again Saturday, with race plans still to be determined.
Monomoy Girl hasn’t started since winning the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Distaff last November at Churchill. That triumph capped off a campaign that earned the daughter of Tapizar the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-year-old Filly.
“She’s doing really well,” Cox said. “No ideas as far as races go right now. It’s a week at a time. Everything is very positive. …
“We’ll kind of let her tell us when she’s ready. She puts a lot into her training. She’s very forward and we expect to have her ready fairly quick. It’s just a week at a time right now.”