Cox still pondering Taraz's next race; Monomoy Girl nears return to stable

Taraz, a Juddmonte Farms homebred Into Mischief filly who has started her career with a pair of blowout wins, worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds Sunday at Fair Grounds, but trainer Brad Cox later in the day wouldn’t commit Taraz to a specific race.

Taraz, a huge 3-year-old filly with brilliant speed, won a Churchill maiden sprint and the Letellier Stakes on Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds while scarcely seeming to exert herself. A two-turn try likely is next, and Cox could look to a race like the Martha Washington at Oaklawn if he doesn’t want to go in the Jan. 18 Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds. Cox is pointing certain 2019 2-year-old filly champion British Idiom to the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds.

Cox said via text message that the 2018 3-year-old filly champion Monomoy Girl is scheduled to join his Fair Grounds string on Jan. 15. Monomoy Girl is stabled at a Florida farm after missing the entire 2019 racing season. She won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Distaff in her most recent start.

Among many Cox workers over the weekend was Warrior’s Charge, a sharp allowance race winner last month at Fair Grounds in his first start since a fourth in the Preakness Stakes. Cox said Warrior’s Charge was a possible runner in the Jan. 18 Louisiana Stakes.

Seeking the Soul back to Pegasus

Seeking the Soul zipped five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Jan. 4 at Fair Grounds and his connections plan to accept an invitation to start in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational later this month, trainer Dallas Stewart said in a Sunday text message.

Seeking the Soul’s lone win from eight 2019 starts was a neck victory over Quip in the Stephen Foster Stakes last June, but he was second to City of Light in the 2019 Pegasus, run over a sloppy track at Gulfstream Park. Seeking the Soul, a 7-year-old Charles Fipke homebred, most recently finished a soundly beaten sixth in both the Clark Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.