Monomoy Girl continues winning ways with Bayakoa

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - In her first start since being purchased at auction for $9.5 million, champion Monomoy Girl launched her 6-year-old season by winning her sixth consecutive race Sunday in the Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa on a wet afternoon at Oaklawn Park.

The start came for the partnership of Spendthrift Farm - which purchased the mare at Fasig-Tipton the day after she won her second Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November - My Racehorse Stable, and Madaket Stables.

Spendthrift sent her back to Brad Cox, who has now guided the career of the two-time champion to 14 wins from 16 starts for earnings of $4,576,818. Following the race, Cox said it was very meaningful to have her back for another season of racing.

“It’s special,” he said. “For her to come back at the age of 6, it means a lot. Hopefully, we can keep going all year. I’m very proud of what she was able to accomplish today and get her season started. And bringing her here to Hot Springs means a lot – the Saratoga of the South, I guess you call it. There’s a lot of fans here and I think they appreciated our team bringing her here.”

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Monomoy Girl is scheduled to come back for the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap here April 17. Cox said Monomoy Girl will return this week to her base at Fair Grounds.

The race Sunday came after an afternoon in which serious rains hit mid-card and the sealed surface was downgraded from muddy to sloppy. Monomoy Girl ($2.40) broke from post 6 in the field of six and assumed a stalking position sitting in third behind leader Finite, who took the field though an opening quarter in 24.60 and a half-mile in 49.41. Monomoy Girl advanced as Our Super Freak took the lead through six furlongs in 1:14.13. Monomoy Girl soon moved to the lead and went on and covered the 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares in 1:45.92.

“It was a great trip,” winning rider Florent Geroux told publicity at Oaklawn. “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.”

Monomoy Girl won by two lengths over Our Super Freak, while it was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third to Finite

The conditions were demanding, as the rain had been coming down sideways and the skies darkened and the clouds dropped just a few races before the Bayakoa.

“She doesn’t really mind the surface,” Cox said. “She’s all class. Nothing really gets her worked up as far as paddock, or getting hot. She takes everything in. Honestly, you don’t have to make many excuses for her. She takes it all in. She’s pretty solid, mentally.”

Monomoy Girl is a daughter of Tapizar; she raced in the silks of My Racehorse Stable on Sunday. It had been announced last week the group had acquired a majority interest in Monomoy Girl in a lease-to-race agreement for 2021.

Monomoy Girl was the second champion from the Cox barn who launched their seasons this weekend at Oaklawn. Essential Quality, the champion 2-year-old male of 2020, won the Southwest Stakes here Saturday.

Oaklawn handled $6.1 million on its 10-race card from all sources Sunday.

The Bayakoa had been delayed nearly two weeks because of a winter snowstorm, which also moved the date of the Southwest.

Windmill has good going in Goin' Good

Windmill darted to a length win over Goin’ Good in the $150,000 Dixie Belle on a rain-soaked Sunday at Oaklawn Park.

It was another length back in third to favorite Abrogate.

The Dixie Belle was a six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies. The track was downgraded from muddy to sloppy before the race, and following it even more heavy rain fell at Oaklawn.

Windmill ($6) was always prominent, as Goin’ Good set pressured fractions of 22.72 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.22 for the half-mile mark. Windmill pushed on and covered the distance in 1:11.14.

Joe Talamo was aboard for Fox Hill Farms and trainer Larry Jones.

“She’s really nice,” Jones told publicity at Oaklawn. “She’s special.”

Windmill is now 2 for 2 after winning her debut in a maiden special weight at Oaklawn with a Beyer Speed Figure of 84. She is a daughter of Street Sense.

*** The Mary Rose ($9) became a stakes winner when she rallied for a half-length win over Matapan in the $150,000 Downthedustyroad. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to Miss Antioch. The race was for fillies and mares bred in Arkansas. The Mary Rose covered six furlongs on a sloppy track in 1:12.28. Martin Garcia was aboard the daughter of Macho Uno for breeder Shortleaf Stable and trainer Brad Cox.