Monomoy Girl has first work of year

NEW ORLEANS – Monomoy Girl, champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, worked for the first time in 2019 when she breezed three furlongs in 37 seconds Sunday morning at Fair Grounds. Monomoy Girl picked up her pace in the homestretch after going at a two-minute-per-mile clip, and she breezed from the quarter pole past the wire and out to the seven-furlong marker, according to trainer Brad Cox.

“Really good,” Cox said.

Monomoy Girl’s most recent race produced a win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She got a winter break in Florida, returned to Cox’s barn at Fair Grounds in late January, and has been steadily galloping since. No comeback race has been set in stone, but because everything has so far gone smoothly with Monomoy Girl, she stands a good chance of making the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 14 at Oaklawn if her connections desire to launch her campaign there.

Arklow, another Cox-trained horse, also worked for the first time this year when he went three furlongs in 37.80 on Sunday morning. Fourth last out in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, 5-year-old Arklow could have his first start of the season in April.