Monomoy Girl back in training, showing 'physical maturity'

When Monomoy Girl left Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots last March, the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes represented her lone graded stakes triumph. Upon returning to the Brad Cox barn this week, she brought not only five Grade 1 victories with her, but an Eclipse Award to boot.

The newly crowned Champion Three-Year-Old Filly enjoyed a stellar 2018 campaign which included wins in the Kentucky Oaks and most recently the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, both of which were run at Churchill Downs. 

Cox stated that the Grade 1, $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 14 remains a possible target for the now 4-year-old daughter of Tapizar.

“She looks great,” Cox said. “...The weight is great, she’s moving well. We’ve trained her here for three mornings and she’s doing great. We’ll just gradually increase her workload and hopefully have her ready to breeze in maybe two or three weeks. We’ll let her tell us what’s best.”

Monomoy Girl was purchased at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2016 by BSW Bloodstock partner Liz Crow. In 11 career starts, she has never finished worse than second and has banked $2,954,750.

Paul Sharp, a consignor and pinhooker based near Ocala, Fla., received his first experience with Monomoy Girl following the sale, when she was acquired for $100,000, since then providing quite a return on that investment with $2,954,750 in earnings banked.

Following the Breeders’ Cup, the now 4-year-old daughter of Tapizar was temporarily boarded at WinStar Farm but spent the majority of her downtime with sharp.

“She definitely enjoyed her downtime,” Sharp said. “She came in in good shape to begin with and she matured quite a bit physically. I think at the end of the day she was ready to get back to business, but she was a really nice horse to have here. We broke her and helped in the process of getting her from the sale to the racetrack. It was pretty uneventful when she was here and that was a good thing.”

Having familiarized himself Monomoy Girl before her racing career, Sharp noticed some physical development when she returned to him toward the end of last year.

“I saw that she put on some muscle,” Sharp said. “At this time of year going from 3 to 4, the maturity is what I saw. Her personality is definitely the same, but mostly it was just physical maturity.”

Owned by Monomoy Stables in partnership with Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables, Monomoy Girl was bred in Kentucky by FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch and is out of the Henny Hughes broodmare Drumette.