Society improves to 3 for 3 with Monomoy Girl triumph
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
A step up in class and a step out in distance proved no problem for Society on Saturday evening, as she was tenacious on the front end for a win in the inaugural $153,900 Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs to remain unbeaten.
Society ($3.40) won her debut last October at Keeneland going six furlongs, but did not appear in the starting gate again until an allowance race May 6 at Churchill Downs. In the interim, owner-breeder Peter Blum transferred the Gun Runner filly from Wayne Mackey to the barn of Steve Asmussen, who had trained her sire. In that allowance, Society made nearly all the pace going 6 1/2 furlongs on a sloppy track and kicked clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
With her victory in the Monomoy Girl, run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles, Society remains unbeaten in her three career starts. The filly, sent away favored with meet-leading rider Tyler Gaffalione in the irons, scampered away from the gate to assume her usual position on the lead, and was coasting by 1 1/2 lengths through a sensible opening half in 49.37 seconds.
Miss Yearwood, seventh with a troubled trip in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in her prior outing, ranged up outside of Society to pose a strong challenge, and was just a head behind nearing the quarter pole. Society dug in to inch clear by half a length, and maintained that margin to the wire, completing the race in 1:45.05.
“She was very determined on the front end," Gaffalione said. "When [Miss Yearwood] drew alongside she fought hard the entire way.”
After Miss Yearwood, it was another 1 3/4 lengths to Tap Dancing Lady, with Glacken's Cause 20 lengths back in fourth to round out a short order of finish. Imogene Malvina was pulled up near the seven-sixteenths pole, and was vanned off. An update on her condition was not immediately available.