Monomoy Girl

2017: two-year-old season

Monomoy Girl began her racing her career with a three and three quarter lengths win in a maiden race over one mile on turf at Indiana Grand Race Course on September 5. Later that month at Churchill Downs she followed up by taking an allowance race over one mile on turf. The filly made her first appearance on dirt in the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs on October 29 and started the 3.4/1 favorite against nine opponents. Ridden by Florent Geroux she took the lead soon after the start and drew way in the straight to win by six and a half lengths from Queen Mum.^[3] For her final start of the season, Monomoy Girl was stepped up to Grade II class for the Golden Rod Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at the same track four weeks later. She started the odds-on favorite but after leading for most of the way she was caught in the final strides and was beaten a neck by Road To Victory.^[4]

2018: three-year-old season

Monomoy Girl began her second season in the Grade II Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course on February 17 and started the 9/10 favorite ahead of Wonder Gadot (winner of the Demoiselle Stakes) and Classy Act. After racing at the rear of the field in the early stages, the filly moved upon the outside, took the lead in the straight and won by two and a half lengths from Classy Act despite ducking to the right a furlong out. After the race Brad Cox said, "She proved herself today... You can see she's still a little bit of a funny filly to deal with, but she's learning and we're lucky to have her. Obviously the Kentucky Oaks is the goal".^[5] In the Grade I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland Race Course on April 7, Monomoy Girl started as odds-on favorite against six opponents and never looked in any danger of defeat. She took the lead from the start and drew away from the field in the last quarter mile to come home five and a half lengths clear of Eskimo Kisses.^[6]

In the Kentucky Oaks on 4 May Monomoy Girl started second favorite behind the Santa Anita Oaks winner Midnight Bisou. Eskimo Kisses and Wonder Gadot were again in opposition while the best fancied of the other ten runners were Coach Rocks (Gulfstream Park Oaks), My Miss Lily (Gazelle Stakes) and Rayya (UAE Oaks). Geroux positioned the filly just behind the leaders before sending her to the front half a mile from the finish. In the stretch the race developed into a prolonged struggle between Monomoy Girl and Wonder Gadot, with the latter gaining the advantage approaching the final furlong before Monomoy Girl rallied in the final strides to win by half a length, despite hanging to the right.^[7] Wonder Gadot's jockey John Velasquez lodged an objection to the winner on the grounds of interference in the straight, but the result was allowed to stand. After the race Geroux said, "When I hit the quarter pole, her ears were flopping back and forth and she tried putting the brakes on me until she saw Wonder Gadot. When the other filly got head-to-head, I gave her a few slaps to keep her interested, but she can be quirky".^[8]

Five weeks after her win at Churchill Downs, Monomoy Girl started odds-on favorite for the Grade I Acorn Stakes over one mile at Belmont Park. With Geroux again in the saddle, she won by two lengths from Talk Veuve To Me.