Breeders' Cup Distaff: Keeneland a neutral site for Monomoy Girl, Swiss Skydiver matchup
LEXINGTON, Ky. – There will be no home-court advantage when Monomoy Girl faces Swiss Skydiver in their eagerly awaited matchup Saturday in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland.
Although both are very well-traveled, both are quite familiar with the local surface. Before their racing careers even began, both had their first timed workout at Keeneland – Monomoy Girl on June 14, 2017, and Swiss Skydiver on May 30, 2019 – and both have raced over the track once apiece.
For Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, the Distaff has been the long-term target all year for trainer Brad Cox. Conversely, trainer Kenny McPeek only committed Swiss Skydiver to the Distaff over the weekend, having flirted for weeks with the idea of running her against males for a third time this year in the BC Classic.
“The Distaff just made more sense,” said McPeek.
Both horses were vanned over Sunday from Churchill Downs and made their first return appearances Monday morning with vigorous gallops at Keeneland. For Swiss Skydiver, who surely clinched divisional Eclipse honors in winning the Oct. 3 Preakness in her most recent start, the Distaff will culminate a remarkable campaign – her first nine 2020 starts came over different tracks, with the Distaff being her first repeat visit following a runner-up finish in the July 11 Blue Grass at Keeneland.
“It was unique, the way the calendar unfolded all year,” said McPeek. “We had times when we didn’t know when we were going to be running, where we were going to be running, [and which tracks were] going to be open.
“The fact the schedule unfolded to her benefit, and the timing was good – she was right and ready. It’s been a magical year.”
With an 0-for-31 record in Breeders’ Cup races, McPeek will be trying to end the longest current winless streak among trainers. If Simply Ravishing or Crazy Beautiful doesn’t end it by winning the BC Juvenile Fillies on Friday, he’s obviously hoping Swiss Skydiver does it Saturday.
“I’ve had a lot of good ones over the years,” he said, “but she’s taken us to another level, for sure.”