Report: Trio of return options mentioned for Monomoy Girl

Monomoy Girl, the reigning champion 3-year-old filly training toward a belated 4-year-old debut, will still point to a defense of the Breeders' Cup Distaff, trainer Brad Cox told the Daily Racing Form.

In a wide-ranging column about Cox's triumphs and bad beats over the weekend, Marty McGee followed up on Saturday's five-furlong breeze in 1:00.20 at Churchill Downs. The daughter of Tapizar is on the comeback from a colic scare and subsequent recovery at WinStar Farm in Lexington, Ky.

Cox told McGee that Monomoy Girl could race out of her own stall in Churchill Downs' Sept. 28 Ack Ack (G3) or Lukas Classic (G3). He also mentioned Santa Anita's Zenyatta Stakes (G1) running Sept. 29 over the surface where Monomoy Girl would compete in the Nov. 2 Distaff.

“Whatever spot makes the most sense to get her to the Breeders’ Cup, that’s what we’ll do,” Cox said. “I’m not worried about a Win and You’re In with her. I just want to get the right race for bringing her back.” The $150,000 Ack Ack runs around a one-turn mile, with the $250,000 Lukas Classic at nine furlongs, the Distaff distance. Both races are open to males and have big-name horses pointing to them -- Omaha Beach the Ack Ack and Seeking the Soul the Lukas Classic. The $200,000 Zenyatta would require leaving town but keep Monomoy Girl against her gender. A 1 1/16-mile race, it figures to attract the likes of Ollie's Candy, who won Del Mar's Clement L. Hirsch (G1) in her last start.