Separationofpowers might stretch out in Cotillion

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Monomoy Girl may have a new challenger in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx on Sept. 22.

Separationofpowers, winner of the Grade 1 Test last month, could stretch out to 1 1/16 miles and two turns in the Cotillion, trainer Chad Brown said Saturday.

“I’m leaning towards the Cotillion,” Brown said Saturday, a few hours after Separationofpowers worked five furlongs in 1:01.48 over the Oklahoma training track with a strong gallop-out. “I have a ton of respect for Monomoy Girl. She’s very consistent, very scary. I have to look at the race to see how big the field is for a million dollars and what I want to do with the horse, distance-wise. There are not a lot of options. I’m leaning that way, far from certain.”

Brown said his gut tells him that Separationofpowers “wants to run a little farther. Could she cut back later in the year? Sure, but to run against straight 3-year-old fillies for a ton of money, knowing that if Monomoy Girl runs another fabulous race, it’d be extremely difficult to beat her, but I have to look at it.”

Monomoy Girl is the clear leader of the 3-year-old filly division with Grade 1 victories this year in the Ashland, Kentucky Oaks, Acorn, and Coaching Club American Oaks.

Separationofpowers is a daughter of Candy Ride who has won three of six starts, including the Grade 1 Frizette going a one-turn mile at 2 and the Test going seven furlongs last month. In her only try at 1 1/16 miles around two turns, Separationofpowers finished fourth behind Caledonia Road in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies but came out of that race with an ankle chip that delayed the start of her 3-year-old campaign.