Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), who was last seen on the racetrack capping her second championship campaign with a win in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, returned to the races with an easy two-length victory in the GIII Bayakoa S. at Oaklawn Park Sunday. The 6-year-old mare, who has now won 14 races from 16 starts–10 in graded company–sold for $9.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton November sale just a day after her second Distaff triumph last November and was making her first start for new owners Spendthrift Farm, My Racehorse.com Stable and Madaket Stables.
“It's kind of a relief to get it over with,” admitted Brad Cox, who continues to train the mare for her new connections. “She ran big. It means a lot. I'm very proud of what she accomplished today. Very, very pleased with what she was able to accomplish and bringing her to Hot Springs means a lot. It's a great racing town. The Saratoga of the South, I guess you could call it. There were a lot of fans here and I think they appreciate our team bringing her here.”
Sent off at 1-5 and breaking from the outside in a field of six, Monomoy Girl was floated to the middle of the track heading into the first turn as the jockeys steered clear of the rail of the rain-soaked track. She raced keenly while three wide and was always within striking distance of pacesetting Finite (Munnings), who took the field through a quarter in :24.60 and a half in :49.41. Niggled at by jockey Florent Geroux nearing the lane, it took the champ a few strides to get going over the sloppy surface, but once she kicked into gear, Monomoy Girl produced a powerful surge to take the lead with a furlong to run and sailed clear of the competition in a matter of strides before gliding under the wire unchallenged.
“It was a great trip,” Geroux said. “It set up great from the start with the outside post and short field. I let the horse in front of me do the dirty work and I just tucked in behind, on the outside, which was the smart thing today with the track condition. When I asked her turning for home, she gave me what she has all the time. She always delivers, so it's easy to appreciate a champion. I'm the luckiest jockey in the world right now.”
Named champion 3-year-old filly following a once-beaten season that culminated in a GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff conquest, the chestnut famously lost her entire 2019 season due to a variety of setbacks and returned no worse for the wear with a four-for-four 2020 campaign that again finished with a Distaff victory and an Eclipse statuette, this time for champion older female.
PEDIGREE NOTES:
Drumette, with the future champion in utero, sold for $75,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. In foal to Mastery, she sold to Bridlewood Farm for $1.85 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Superman Shaq, her colt by Shackleford, sold for $550,000 at last year's OBS June sale and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following a maiden win at Del Mar last September. The mare has also been represented by 'TDN Rising Star' Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice), who captured the 2020 GII Risen Star S.
Drumette produced a filly by Mastery in 2019 and a colt by Tapit last year.
Monomoy Girl's sire Tapizar (Tapit–Winning Call, by Deputy Minister), who was set to be shipped to Japan to stand stud at Yushun Stallion Station for the 2021 season, was euthanized after an accident in his stall last December.
Sunday, Oaklawn Park
BAYAKOA S.-GIII, $250,000, Oaklawn, 2-28, 4yo/up, f/m,
1 1/16m, 1:45.92, sy.
1–MONOMOY GIRL, 119, m, 6, by Tapizar
1st Dam: Drumette, by Henny Hughes
2nd Dam: Endless Parade, by Williamstown
3rd Dam: Mnemosyne, by Saratoga Six
($100,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $9,500,000 5yo '20 FTKNOV). O-My
Racehorse Stable, Spendthrift Farm LLC & Madaket Stables
LLC; B-FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent
Geroux. $150,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly, Ch. Older
Female & MGISW, 16-14-2-0, $4,576,818. *1/2 to Mr.
Monomoy (Palace Malice), GSW, $327,162.
2–Our Super Freak, 117, m, 5, Mineshaft–Thatcher, by Giant's
Causeway. ($5,000 Ylg '17 FTKOCT; $17,000 2yo '18 EASMAY;
$210,000 3yo '19 KEENOV). O-LBD Stable LLC & David Ingordo;
B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux.
$50,000.
3–Finite, 119, f, 4, Munnings–Remit, by Tapit. ($200,000 2yo
'19 EASMAY). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Thomas J.
Reiman, William Dickson & Deborah A. Easter; B-Winchell
Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $25,000.
Margins: 2, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.20, 15.80, 3.60.
Also Ran: Chance to Shine, Istan Council, Another Broad. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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