Monomoy Girl Torpedoes Distaff

LOUISVILLE, KY – Many tried but all failed to overpower trainer Brad Cox’s Monomoy Girl, who torpedoed all challengers en route to winning Saturday’s Grade 1, $4,000,000 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Breaking strongly from post 2 under Florent Geroux as the 9/5 favorite, Monomoy Girl settled into second early while Wonder Gadot posted quick opening fractions of :23.39, :47.57, and 1:12.11. Still tracking the pacesetter closely through the far turn, Monomoy Girl ranged up and hit the top of the stretch in prime position to power to the front. Drawing clear from that foe, Monomoy Girl soon dug in and fended off attempts from Blue Prize and Wow Cat before confidently crossing with a length advantage in a final time of 1:49.79 for the 9-furlong event over the fast main track.

“It was a great trip,” Geroux said. “She was super-sharp. I was able to lay second off Wonder Gadot. I went to the lead past the 3-furlong mark, and from there, she just kept on going all the way to the wire. This is a filly with great tactical speed and she loves to win. She’s just unbelievable.”

Though unable to draw close enough to the winner, Wow Cat kept second over a late-rallying Midnight Bisou by a 1/2-length, with Blue Prize flattening late to finish fourth, beaten a head. Mopotism took fifth ahead of Verve’s Tale, with Champagne Problems taking seventh over La Force. Wonder Gadot, Vale Dori, and an empty Abel Tasman completed the order of finish.

Monomoy Girl’s win was her sixth of 2018, all in graded stakes events, and improved her overall record to 11-9-2-0. The Brad Cox-trained 3-year-old daughter of Tapizar increased her lifetime earnings to $2,954,750 for owners Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.

“She ran the way she was training,” Cox said. “She was training like a monster and she ran like a monster. She is a special filly, one-of-a-kind, an unbelievable filly.”

Monomoy Girl returned $5.60 to win, $3.40 to place, and $3 to show. Wow Cat brought back $5.40 to place and $4 to show, while Midnight Bisou paid $4.40 to show.