Monomoy Girl sharpens for La Troienne
LOUISVILLE ,Ky. – One of the many equine stars set to race here Derby weekend is Monomoy Girl, the 2018 Kentucky Oaks winner who has finished first in all but one of her 13 starts. The 5-year-old mare was among the Friday workers at Churchill, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.20 with regular rider Florent Geroux up.
“Fantastic work,” said trainer Brad Cox. “I’m very, very pleased with the way she has trained out of the Ruffian,” which Monomoy Girl won on July 11 at Belmont Park with a career-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure. “I’m really looking forward to running her next Friday.”
Monomoy Girl figures as a decisive favorite in the Grade 1 La Troienne, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares on the Oaks undercard. Ce Ce, winner of back-to-back Grade 1 races earlier in the year, could vie for second choice with the 2019 La Troienne winner, She’s a Julie, although both Ce Ce and Lady Kate also are under consideration for the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff, a seven-furlong race on Saturday. Vexatious, who upset Midnight Bisou earlier this month in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, also was confirmed for the La Troienne by trainer Jack Sisterson after breezing Friday at Saratoga.
Entries for Friday will be drawn Monday. Entries for Saturday will be drawn Tuesday.
In some of the other weekend stakes:
◗ Off her victory in the Grade 1 Ballerina earlier this month at Saratoga, Serengeti Empress heads the prospective lineup for the Derby City Distaff. The 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner had her first work since the Ballerina, breezing a half-mile in 48 seconds here Wednesday.
◗ One of the more wide-open races of the weekend appears to be the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic, which directly precedes the Kentucky Derby as the 13th race Saturday. Among the confirmed starters are Factor This and Spectacular Gem, both risking impressive win streaks, along with Bowies Hero, Somelikeithotbrown, and the Chad Brown duo of Digital Age and Sacred Life, along with a few more older horses.
◗ McKinzie and By My Standards should make for an outstanding renewal of the Grade 2 Alysheba on Friday. They’re the principals in a 1 1/16-mile race also expected to include Owendale and a few other older horses.
◗ The “Thurby” card that had become very popular in recent years with local fans – who’ll have to watch from home this year with spectators banned all week because of the pandemic – will be anchored Thursday by the Grade 2 Pocahontas for 2-year-old fillies. Entries will be drawn Sunday for a card that also will include the $115,000 Opening Verse for older turf milers.
◗ Ellis Park ends its 25-day meet Sunday with a nine-race card that starts at 12:50 p.m. Central. One allowance (race 3) and five maiden-specials are among the closing-day offerings.