2020 Eclipse Awards: Monomoy Girl

After she missed an entire calendar year and went 18 months without a start, the odds were against 5-year-old Monomoy Girl picking up in 2020 where she left off in 2018.

It was a tough act to follow, because in 2018 Monomoy Girl won the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff, crossed the wire first in all seven starts, and was voted champion 3-year-old filly. But that was ancient history, as trainer Brad Cox acknowledged.

“For her to go 18 months, it does cross your mind that we may not get her back to the races,” Cox said in an autumn interview. “But watching her train, I’m not surprised at all. She trains better now.”

Monomoy Girl returned from her long layoff in May, and won all four of her 2020 starts, including three graded stakes under regular rider Florent Geroux. She earned the highest Beyer Speed Figure of her career, and finished the season with her second Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff victory.

The perfect campaign makes Monomoy Girl an Eclipse finalist as 2020 outstanding older dirt female, and erases the frustrations of 2019, when a March bout with colic sidelined her early, followed by a pulled muscle in September that dashed hopes for an autumn return.

:: Full list of 2020 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Monomoy Girl could have been retired, but her sporting owners brought her back for another go. Her owners included Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables. In late 2019, Monomoy Girl rehabbed in Florida and shipped to Fair Grounds in January 2020 to attempt another comeback.

The first work for Monomoy Girl was in February; she returned to the races in May in a Churchill Downs allowance. Racing over a sloppy track, Monomoy Girl cruised to a 2 3/4-length victory while ridden out.

It was a useful comeback, not particularly fast. She earned an 85 Beyer. She would need to improve to win a graded race, and Cox shipped her to Belmont Park for the Grade 2 Ruffian on July 11. Monomoy Girl crushed, winning by two lengths in 1:34.13 and earning a career-best 104 Beyer.

“The Ruffian was like, ‘Wow, she’s back,’ ” Cox said. “That’s the race where we said, ‘Okay, that’s Monomoy Girl – that’s a Grade 1 horse.’ ”

After she won the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs, all that remained was the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Monomoy Girl added an exclamation mark to her perfect campaign. She won by 1 3/4 lengths to complete the comeback of the year.

Surprisingly, the story is not over. One day after the Distaff, Monomoy Girl was purchased at auction for $9.5 million at Fasig-Tipton by Spendthrift Farm and will remain in training to race as a 6-year-old in 2021.

Monomoy Girl, a chestnut by Tapiture out of Drumette, was bred in Kentucky by FPF LLC and Highfield Ranch. She was originally purchased for $100,000 as a yearling at the 2016 Keeneland September sale, and has won 13 of 15 starts, earning $4,426,818.