Monomoy Girl favored in Oaks despite breaking from outside
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Monomoy Girl was assigned post 14 and Midnight Bisou got post 10 as the morning-line favorites for the 144th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks, to be run on Friday at Churchill Downs.
A full field of 14 3-year-old fillies was entered Monday morning at the post-position draw in the track’s Aristides Lounge for the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, which will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network (post time, 6:12 p.m. Eastern).
Trainer Brad Cox said he hopes the outside post will be quickly negated by the speed of Monomoy Girl, who has been pegged as the 2-1 morning-line favorite by Churchill linemaker Mike Battaglia.
“It’s all right,” Cox said. “The main thing is the filly is doing fantastic and hopefully will able to be up close to the pace without losing too much ground.”
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From the rail and with jockeys, this is the Oaks field: Sassy Sienna, Gary Stevens; Coach Rocks, Luis Saez; Classy Act, Brian Hernandez Jr.; Chocolate Martini, Javier Castellano; Wonder Gadot, John Velazquez; Kelly’s Humor, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Rayya, Drayden Van Dyke; Heavenhasmynikki, Calvin Borel; Take Charge Paula, Jose Ortiz; Midnight Bisou, Mike Smith; My Miss Lilly, Joe Bravo; Patrona Margarita, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Eskimo Kisses, Corey Lanerie; and Monomoy Girl, Florent Geroux.
Midnight Bisou, the 5-2 second choice off a rousing victory in the Santa Anita Oaks in her last start, was scheduled to arrive here early Monday afternoon on the same charter flight that was transporting Justify and other Oaks and Derby starters from their Southern California base. Midnight Bisou is trained by Bill Spawr, who said he intends to have her blow out about a quarter-mile early Thursday to get a feel for the local surface.
“The 10 post is perfect,” said Jeff Bloom, whose Bloom Racing co-owns Midnight Bisou with Allen Racing. “The good news is we’ll leave everything up to Mike Smith after she leaves there.”
Cox, a Louisville native who grew up near Churchill, has two other Oaks starters in Sassy Sienna and Kelly’s Humor. Sassy Sienna figures among the fringe wagering choices, along with Coach Rocks, Rayya, and Take Charge Paula.
“It can get tricky from the inside post, so hopefully Gary will be able to work out a good trip for us,” said Cox, regarding Sassy Sienna.
Another Louisville native, Dale Romans, said he was happy with getting post 2 for Coach Rocks, winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks in her last start.
“It’s a good spot for us,” said Romans. “We ought to be forwardly placed and have every chance if we’re good enough.”
All other Oaks Day races, including five other stakes, were to be drawn Monday afternoon.
Scattered showers and a high temperature of 77 are in the forecast for Friday, when an ontrack crowd of more than 110,000 is expected. First post Friday and Saturday is 10:30 a.m.