Monomoy Girl to Parx next

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Monomoy Girl put more distance between herself and the rest of the 3-year-old filly division on Sunday with a decisive three-length victory over Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1, $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Monomoy Girl, who ran her 2017 record to 5 for 5 – and 4 for 4 in Grade 1 races – will most likely make her next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 22, trainer Brad Cox said Monday. Cox said he simply didn’t see the benefit of running Monomoy Girl back in four weeks in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama at 1 1/4 miles here on Aug. 18.

“I think it’s best to wait, space her races, try to get her to the Breeders’ Cup [Distaff] in the best possible shape and have a 4-year-old,” Cox said Monday morning in his Saratoga barn office. “I don’t know if there’s a benefit in running her back that quick, at that distance.”

The Cotillion is run at 1 1/16 miles and is six weeks out from the Breeders’ Cup.

While she did have Gio Game on her hip early, Monomoy Girl got away with a relatively soft early pace in the Coaching Club and had more than enough to run away from Midnight Bisou from the quarter pole to the wire. Monomoy Girl, who is 8 for 9 lifetime, earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure for her Coaching Club victory.

“It was a solid effort,” Cox said. “It was the trip I kind of envisioned.”

Cox said Monomoy Girl “was tired” but sound on Monday morning. Cox said he would keep Monomoy Girl in Saratoga for at least a week, maybe two, before likely sending her back to Churchill Downs to train.

“We get a line on her pretty well there,” Cox said.

Meanwhile, trainer Steve Asmussen was noncommittal as to what might be next for Midnight Bisou, who suffered just her second defeat of the year, both to Monomoy Girl. Asmussen had previously said Midnight Bisou would run in the Alabama, but he wants to wait a little while before making a determination.

“We’ll figure out how to get to the Distaff in the best way possible, whatever that may be,” Asmussen said.

Among those expected for the Alabama are Red Ruby, the 13-length winner of the Delaware Oaks; Coach Rocks, runner-up to Red Ruby in both the Delaware Oaks and BlackEyed Susan; and Talk Veuve to Me, winner of the Indiana Oaks.

Asmussen mulls juvenile plans

In Lyrical Lady and Nitrous, trainer Steve Asmussen sent out two good-looking maidenwinning 2-year-olds in the first two days of the meet. Both are likely headed to a stakes race later in this Saratoga season.

Lyrical Lady, who won her debut by 5 3/4 lengths on Friday’s opening day card, could wheel back in the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 11.

Asmussen said he prefers the Adirondack to waiting for the Grade 1 Spinaway because he doesn’t believe the success rate is high in the sevenfurlong Spinaway for fillies with just one start under their belt.

“Seven-eighths at Saratoga is pretty trying with her obvious style,” said Asmussen, referring to Lyrical Lady’s frontrunning style. “We’ll try to do what’s best for a very talented filly.”

Lyrical Lady ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.25 and earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

Asmussen said he may be willing to give Nitrous a try in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 3 following his 3 1/4-length victory on Saturday. That was his second start. He ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.70 and earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s a runner,” Asmussen said. “He’s pretty well bred and fast. Good combination.”

Beverly D. for Sistercharlie

When looking at the schedule of preferred races for Sistercharlie, trainer Chad Brown naturally sees the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes on Oct. 7 at Belmont Park as a logical spot.

But the 78 days between the Diana, which Sistercharlie won by a nose over Ultra Brat on Saturday at Saratoga, and the Flower Bowl is less than ideal. Thus, Brown is likely to wheel Sistercharlie back in three weeks and run her in the Grade 1, $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 11.

“Right now we’re planning on going if the horse comes out of it in good shape,” Brown said Sunday morning. “She’ll have one little piece of work in between and if I think her energy level’s good and she’s sound and doing well, I’m inclined to go.”

Brown had a similar dilemma last year with Lady Eli, who won the Diana then came back five weeks later to win the Ballston Spa at Saratoga. Lady Eli ultimately skipped the Flower Bowl and went right to the Breeders’ Cup.

Brown would like to run Sistercharlie in the Beverly D., the Flower Bowl, and then the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

“If we could run her six times this year, that would be preferred,” Brown said.

In giving Brown his third consecutive Diana victory, Sistercharlie ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.26 and earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. In three starts this year, she has won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley and the Diana and was beaten a head by stablemate Fourstar Crook in the Grade 2 New York. Fourstar Crook is also expected to run in the Beverly D.