My Miss Mo keeps it rolling in Monmouth Oaks
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My Miss Mo, once a high-profile bridesmaid in Florida, picked up her second straight graded stakes victory on Saturday at Monmouth Park, edging away to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks by 1 1/2 lengths. The 3-year-old filly has made the most of her opportunities in the Mid-Atlantic this summer and could take a step up next time for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
“We thought it made more sense to go to Monmouth to see if we would see the same kind of filly, and then if she did good, we could get ambitious and try her in a Grade 1 after this,” Joseph said. “It could be the Alabama [at Saratoga next month] or Cotillion [at Parx Racing in September]. This one is nice today. This one means a lot. We’re going to enjoy it and then come up with a plan.”
Coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes in Grade 2 races at Gulfstream Park, My Miss Mo finally broke through at Laurel Park in May, stretching out to 1 1/8 miles and kicking clear to win the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan.
After that overdue graded stakes score. Joseph said he planned to give his filly a short break before targeting either the Grade 1 Coaching Club America Oaks or Monmouth Oaks, which were both run on Saturday. When the race at Saratoga appeared to be coming up tough, Joseph decided to ship to New Jersey, where she cut back to 1 1/16 miles and handled the shorter distance in similar fashion.
“She just needed two turns,” Joseph said. “That’s the difference. She showed so much speed breezing, we thought she would be a very good one-turn graded stakes filly. We weren’t really seeing it [stretching out]. Even when she won by 12 lengths [in her maiden victory at Gulfstream last year], the number didn’t come back good. But since she has gone two turns, she is a different horse.”
Four fillies scratched from the Monmouth Oaks, with the potential favorite Zany and Miss Fulton Gal opting for the CCA Oaks.
Despite being the only graded stakes winner in the shortened field of six 3-year-old fillies, My Miss Mo went off as the 5-2 third choice and paid $7.80 to win.
Bodacious Bay, a last-out maiden winner trained by Rodolphe Brisset, earned 2-1 co-favoritism and challenged My Miss Mo all the way around the track, traveling with the pacesetter through an opening quarter-mile in 24.60 and half-mile in 48.88. She was the only filly to trouble My Miss Mo at any stage.
Jockey Micah Husbands said he felt the pressure to his outside aboard My Miss Mo, but Bodacious Bay’s bid under Cristian Torres only helped the leader. When it came time for My Miss Mo to repel the challenge, she did so with ease, drawing away and completing the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:43.29.
“I felt [Bodacious Bay] on the outside coming at us to challenge, but it kept my horse going,” Husbands said. “It kept her focused. I don’t think it was a serious threat for her. For a rider, knowing someone is there, you get a little concerned, but she handled it professionally.”
Jumping the Gun, the 2-1 co-favorite who finished second behind My Miss Mo in the Black-Eyed Susan, stalked the entire way but never managed to make up much ground. The Andy Simoff-trained filly was well behind the leaders at the top of the stretch and finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Bodacious Bay, notching her sixth straight finish in the money without a victory.
Regardless of whether the 1 1/4-mile Alabama or 1 1/16-mile Cotillion is next for My Miss Mo, she already proved herself to be a graded stakes-caliber runner before her victory at Monmouth. Joseph now has everything he needs to give her another test.
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