No dwelling on DQ as Monomoy Girl moves to Breeders' Cup

Monomoy Girl, the 3-year-old filly leader and possible Breeders’ Cup Distaff favorite, is expected to return to the work tab this weekend for the first time since disqualified to second in the Cotillion Stakes (G1), trainer Brad Cox said.

“She’s going to have her first of I believe four works heading into the Breeders’ Cup this Saturday,” Cox said. “She bounced out of the Cotillion in great shape. She’s ready to get back on the work schedule.”

Owned by Sol Kumin’s Monomoy Stables, Michael Dubb, the Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables, Monomoy Girl was riding a five-race win streak into the Sept. 22 Cotillion. Four of those wins were in Grade 1 company: the Ashland Stakes, the Kentucky Oaks, the Acorn and the Coaching Club American Oaks.

The filly faced familiar rival Midnight Bisou in the Cotillion and was taken down by the stewards for interference. Midnight Bisou was awarded the victory.

Cox said while it was “extremely tough” to be disqualified in the Cotillion, a race with a $1 million purse on top of its Grade 1 status, he is ready to make a game plan for the future. 

“We can’t do anything about the outcome there, and hopefully that won’t be an issue come Breeders’ Cup day as far as any inquiries or objections, but that’s racing,” he said. “That’s why they run the race. It’s the past and I’m not looking back on it. Just moving forward.”

Monomoy Girl survived a stewards’ inquiry earlier in the year when the connections of Wonder Gadot claimed foul in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Cox said she has a tendency to look around once she passes other horses, citing the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) and the Golden Rod Stakes(G2) as examples, but is confident in Monomoy Girl and regular jockey Florent Geroux ahead of the Breeders’ Cup. The Rachel Alexandra marked Monomoy Girl’s seasonal bow, and she won by 2 ½ lengths. In the Golden Rod at 2, the only race where Monomoy Girl did not cross the wire first in 10 career starts, she weaved in the stretch before Road to Victory caught her by a neck.

The trainer also described having the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs as a “bonus,” allowing him to run Monomoy Girl out of her own stall, although he’d have the same level of confidence if he had to ship her to California or New York.

“She likes the track. She’s performed well here,” he said. “She’s run here a total of four times – once on the turf and three times on the dirt – and she’s showed up every time. She’s showed up for us every time she’s ever run.”