Cox keeps his champs on target for season debuts in Arkansas

Even though their breaks from racing will end up being two weeks longer than expected, both Essential Quality and Monomoy Girl will race at Oaklawn Park next weekend – weather permitting.

Trainer Brad Cox confirmed it in text messages Wednesday morning to Horse Racing Nation. Both horses will be competing for the first time since they were winners at the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland last November, punctuating what turned out to be championship seasons.

Essential Quality, the Eclipse Award winning male juvenile last year, is still being pointed to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest Stakes (G3). Originally scheduled for President’s Day, it was postponed twice by winter weather and is now set for Saturday, Feb. 27.

[Related: Oaklawn reshuffles stakes lineup, adds race days] 

The race sets up as a rematch between Essential Quality and two-time Grade 1 winner Jackie’s Warrior, whose trainer Steve Asmussen confirmed his colt’s plan in a text Tuesday. The two horses last met in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Essential Quality winning and Jackie’s Warrior finishing fourth as the 9-10 favorite.

The Southwest is a 10-4-2-1 qualifier for the Kentucky Derby. For Essential Quality it would be little more than a top-up, since he already has 30 points, which already may be enough to get him to the gate May 1 at Churchill Downs. Jackie’s Warrior has 12 points and, therefore, some work to do to get to the Derby.

Monomoy Girl, the champion older female, is still expected to make her first start as a 6-year-old in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3), now scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 28. It will be her first race since Spendthrift Farm bought her for $9.5 million during the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale the night after she won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

The forecast of more severe winter weather led Oaklawn Park officials to cancel this week’s races after already scuttling last weekend for the same reason. The Razorback Handicap (G3) and Spring Fever stakes were moved with the Southwest to Saturday, Feb. 27. The Dixie Bell and Downthedustyroad stakes will be on the same card as the Bayakoa on Sunday, Feb. 28.