Cox looking for big effort from Monomoy Girl
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Kentucky Oaks favourite Monomoy Girl has been impressive, winning five of six starts by a combined 20 1/2 lengths.
Trainer Brad Cox believes the filly can run even better. Monomoy Girl isn’t the only horse in the field Cox will have an eye on.
He is just as excited about Sassy Sienna, who boasts a solid resume even with fewer victories. Sassy Sienna and Monomoy Girl will be bookend competitors with different prospects in Friday’s $1-million race for threeyear-old fillies at Churchill Downs.
Monomoy Girl is the 2-1 favourite in the 1 1/8 mile race and will start from the outside post. Sassy Sienna will begin on the rail at 15-1 but could set the early pace in the 14-horse field that includes 5-2 second choice Midnight Bisou, winner of three in a row.
Cox is anxious to see how his inside-outside combination performs in a race that will go a long way toward determining the year’s top filly.
“Sassy will be close,” said Cox, who also has a third entrant in 30-1 long-shot Kelly’s Humor. “Her and Monomoy have similar styles as far as where we would like for them to be placed in the race. Obviously, there’s going to be concern with one being caught wide in the first turn and the other one hopefully getting a clean run.”
Monomoy Girl has done well separating from competitors in most situations with jockey Florent Geroux aboard.
The chestnut filly has started two 2018 races as the favourite and won both, taking last month’s Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland by 5 1/2 lengths after winning the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra by 2 1/2 at Fair Grounds in Louisiana in February. Her lone setback was a second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes last November at Churchill Downs, which seems far from where she is now.
“I’m looking for a big effort from her,” Cox said of Monomoy Girl. “She’s showing the signs that she’s definitely ready to run with her breezes, her gallops, her energy level. We’re extremely happy with where she as far as fitness and health and coat.”
Most of the attention in the Oaks will likely focus on Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou, the race’s only entrants with singledigit odds.