ELMONT, N.Y. -- It's still early in the racing season, but Brad Cox's first Grade 1 winner is a strong candidate to become the trainer's first champion.
The 38-year-old Louisville native, a rising star nationally, not only saddled the Acorn Stakes winner Saturday but hosed down Monomoy Girl after she pranced home in the $671,000 Grade 1 race for 3-year-old fillies.
In her Belmont Park debut, the chestnut daughter of Tapizar stalked the pace and drew off under a hand ride by Florent Geroux. Odds-on favorite Monomoy Girl won by two lengths in a fast-rated 1:34.10, paying $3.20, $2.30 and $2.10. Talk Veuve to Me finished second by 4 1/4 lengths over Gio Game in a six-horse field including 2017 juvenile filly champion Caledonia Road (fifth).
"We were sitting off two fast fillies (and) they kind of showed the way, but it was a huge effort," Cox said. "Florent did a great job asking her to run out of there and establish position."
A $100,000 yearling purchase, Monomoy Girl is a neck second in a Grade 2 race at Churchill Downs last year from a perfect record in eight starts. With four sets of owners, she has earned $1,340,750.
Bunching Grade 1 victories in the Ashland (Keeneland), Kentucky Oaks (Churchill Downs) and Acorn, Monomoy Girl towers over the 3-year-old filly division. Cox hinted at a Saratoga return in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, also mentioning the Cotillion at Parx Racing before the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs "if everything goes to plan.
"She's taken her show on the road plenty of times, and obviously undefeated as a 3-year-old and nearly undefeated in her career," Cox said. "She's a very special filly and we're really proud of her."
* Before Justify took center stage in the 150th Belmont Stakes, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert won two stakes on the undercard with older horses.
Abel Tasman, over the track that she won the 2017 Acorn in a championship season, powered home by 7 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 $717,500 Ogden Phipps. Hoppertunity, at age 7, then remained undefeated at Belmont and at a mile and half in the Grade 2 $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational.
The 4-year-old Abel Tasman became a Grade 1 winner for the third consecutive year, rebounding from a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs May 4. Besides the Acorn, she also won the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks in 2017, getting the nod as 3-year-old filly champion despite finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
Under Mike Smith and carrying 123 pounds, Abel Tasman drew off in the stretch and went the fast-rated mile and sixteenth in 1:40.36, paying $4, $3.10 and $2.40.
"Her race at Churchill Downs was a disappointment. ... You could tell today the light got turned on," said Baffert. "It'd good to see these great mares back. She's a champion and you want to see a champion run like that."
Todd Pletcher trainees completed the Phipps trifecta with Ivy Bell second and Unbridled Mo third. The 5-year-old Unbridled Mo made her first start since her April 13 upset of champion Unique Bella in Oaklawn's Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap.
"I thought [Unbridled Mo] gave a good account of herself," Pletcher said. "I feel like she's at her best around two turns. That, obviously, wasn't an option at Belmont Park. [But] she was still coming on well at the end."
* At an age that many horses are slowing down or retired, Hoppertunity looks better than ever.
Oaklawn's Grade 2 Rebel winner in 2014, Hoppertunity scored his second victory at age 7 in the 130th Brooklyn, his second this year at a mile and a half. The bay son of Any Given Saturday came from off the pace under Flavien Prat in his first start at Belmont since winning the 2016 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at a mile and a quarter.
Though Hoppertunity has earned more than $4.5 million, "He's like the forgotten horse," Baffert said. "The stallion farms aren't calling looking to buy him even though he's made all this money, so we're just having fun with him."
Hoppertunity, 2 1/4 lengths clear of favored War Story, went the marathon distance in 2:28.61 carrying 121 pounds and paying $9.10, $4.20 and $2.80. In February, Hoppertunity won the 12-furlong Grade 3 Tokyo City at Santa Anita. "A mile and a half," said Prat, "is the best race for him."
Sports on 06/10/2018