Monomoy Girl sharp in drill for Breeders' Cup Distaff

Two weeks in advance of the Breeders' Cup Distaff, one of its major contenders, Monomoy Girl, turned in her penultimate and most serious work on Saturday at host track Churchill Downs.

Monomoy Girl, the winner of this year's Kentucky Oaks, had regular jockey Florent Geroux aboard as she stepped onto a track rated “good” after overnight rain in Kentucky at 7:30 a.m., following a renovation break. Working in company with 5-year-old stablemate Dazzling Gem, who is multiple graded stakes-placed, Monomoy Girl worked five furlongs in 1:00.13 on Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch's watch.

"I thought it was a fantastic breeze, especially the way the track is," trainer Brad Cox said. "It didn't seem to take the rain very well. The first set of horses, we had a lot of average works, but she showed up, she breezed very well. Everything really worked out, went 1:13 and 4 on the gallop-out. Solid, very solid. Probably work her an easier half next week."

Monomoy Girl owns four graded stakes victories this year, taking the Ashland, Kentucky Oaks, Acorn, and Coaching Club American Oaks in succession. She crossed the line a neck ahead of Midnight Bisou in the Cotillion Stakes last month at Parx but was disqualified to second for interference.

Monomoy Girl is the 5-2 favorite on DRF national handicapper Mike Watchmaker's line for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, ahead of last year's Kentucky Oaks winner, Abel Tasman, at 9-2.

Cox worked a pair of Breeders' Cup hopefuls earlier in the morning, as Golden Mischief, the winner of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland, went a half-mile in 50.62 seconds in preparation for the Filly and Mare Sprint, and the turf sprinter Will Call, second in the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland, went a half in 49.61.

Bucchero, a winner of two editions of the Woodford, worked four furlongs in 48.38 in preparation for the Turf Sprint for trainer Tim Glyshaw.

Later in the morning, Promises Fulfilled made a track playing slower look fast, breezing a half-mile in 48.24. After the race, trainer Dale Romans said he'll likely run the colt in the Breeders' Cup Sprint rather than the Dirt Mile, which was also being considered.

"All things equal, I think he'd have a great chance to win in the [Dirt Mile], but you've got to think about a lot of factors," Romans said. "Twice the money, and the Sprint winner, unless it's some real longshot, is gonna be sprint champion. We would like to be champion."

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Promises Fulfilled has won three consecutive graded stakes sprinting, including the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga and, most recently, the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes over older foe Whitmore at Keeneland.

Romans is leaning toward running another 3-year-old, Seven Trumpets, in the Dirt Mile. The colt, who was second in the Jerkens, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.35 on Saturday morning.

The only other potential Breeders' Cup worker at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning was Juvenile Fillies candidate Reflect, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Alcibiades, who went a half in 48.40.

Down the highway at Keeneland, Mom's On Strike, a longshot for the Filly and Mare Turf, went a half-mile in 49.60, according to track clockers, for trainer Joe Sharp, and Limousine Liberal went five furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer Ben Colebrook. Limousine Liberal is under consideration for the Sprint and Dirt Mile. Horses under consideration for multiple Breeders' Cup races may pre-enter two races Monday but must choose their final spot by entry and draw day, Oct. 29.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch and Byron King