The probable Kentucky Oaks favorite can only hope for more luck on race day than she received at the post-position draw Monday.
Once-beaten Monomoy Girl is the early 2-1 choice from outside post 14 in Friday's Grade 1 $1 million race for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Tapizar filly is 5 for 6 lifetime and coming off a Grade 1 victory, the first for trainer Brad Cox, in the April 7 Ashland at Lexington's Keeneland Race Course.
"Well, it is what is," Cox said of the post position. "We'll come up with a game plan and run the play. That's horse racing. She's obviously a good filly and good horses overcome things. We'll have to overcome the 14 hole and have the speed and everything to the inside of us. We'll see if she can adjust."
Going nine furlongs with Florent Geroux aboard, Monomoy Girl hopes to improve upon a 3-year-old season that she opened with a Grade 2 victory in the Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds. She won twice at Churchill Downs last year, finishing second by a neck to Road to Victory in the track's Grade 2 Golden Rod on Thanksgiving weekend.
Cox, a Louisville native, also is represented in the Oaks by Sassy Sienna, 11-1 upsetter of Oaklawn Park's Grade 3 $400,000 Fantasy April 13, and 30-1 longshot Kelly's Humor. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens keeps the mount on two-time Oaklawn winner Sassy Sienna (by Midshipman), 15-1 from the rail post.
"We liked her a lot last year, and we thought she would show up in the (Grade 1) Alcibiades (at Keeneland)," Cox said. "She had a wide trip and still ended fourth. To say I'm surprised that she's here -- no, I'm not. She's a tough filly; she's basically run every 30 days. She's solid."
Fantasy runner-up Wonder Gadot, a multiple stakes winner for trainer Mark Casse, is 20-1 from post five with Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard. Eskimo Kisses, a two-time Oaklawn winner for trainer Ken McPeek, is 15-1 from post 13 with Corey Lanerie up.
Midnight Bisou, a Grade 1 winner in California for trainer Bill Spawr, is a strong early second choice at 5-2. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith keeps the mount on the Midnight Lute filly and breaks from post 10. Grade 2 winner My Miss Lilly, a Tapit filly trained by Mark Hennig, is the distant third choice at 10-1 from post 11 with Joe Bravo aboard.
Completing the field are Coach Rocks (Luis Saez, 12-1), Classy Act (Brian Hernandez Jr., 15-1), Chocolate Martini (Javier Castellano, 12-1), Kelly's Humor (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Rayya (Drayden Van Dyke, 15-1), Heavenhasmynikki (Calvin Borel, 30-1), Take Charge Paula (Jose Ortiz, 15-1) and Patrona Margarita (Ricardo Santana Jr., 30-1).
Eleventh of 13 live races Friday at Churchill Downs, the 144th Kentucky Oaks is set for 5:12 p.m. Central.
* On the Oaks undercard, Oaklawn stakes winners Amy's Challenge and Mia Mischief are rematched in Friday's Grade 2 Eight Belles (race 5, 11:35 a.m.).
Amy's Challenge cuts back to seven furlongs after two-turn defeats in Oaklawn's Fantasy and Grade 3 $200,000 Honeybee Stakes, while Mia Mischief stretches out after wining Oaklawn's six-furlong $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes in late March. Amy's Challenge won Oaklawn's six-furlong $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes in her 3-year-old debut.
Gary Stevens rides Amy's Challenge for trainer Mac Robertson from the rail post while Oaklawn champion Ricardo Santana Jr. pilots Mia Mischief, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, from post 3.
Oaklawn claiming winner Criminal Mischief and Purple Martin runner-up Salt Bae also are in the seven-horse field. Oaklawn-raced Benner Island, owned by John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, won last year's Eight Belles for trainer Brad Cox.
Oaklawn stakes winners Farrell, Streamline and Martini Glass join 2017 Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman in the Grade 1 $350,000 La Troienne (race 6. 12:17 p.m.)
Always Dreaming, last year's Kentucky Derby winner, returns in the Grade 1 $400,000 Alysheba (race 8, 1:53 p.m.). Hawaakom, dramatic winner in February of Oaklawn's Grade 3 $500,000 Razorback Handicap, and Hoppertunity, Oaklawn's 2014 Grade 2 $600,000 Rebel Stakes winner, also are in the eight-horse field.
Sports on 05/01/2018