Monomoy Girl capped off her extraordinary undefeated 2020 racing season with an impressive victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Saturday, Nov. 7.
With jockey Florent Geroux riding, the five-year old mare took the lead at the top of the stretch, then held off all challengers and crossed the wire 3-1/4 lengths ahead of second-place finisher Valience. Finishing third a half-length back was Dunbar Road.
“Honestly, it’s a relief,” said her trainer Brad Cox. “She means the world to me and it’s a lot of pressure when we run her, I don’t know why. It just is. … She’s a real race horse.”
Monomoy Girl, with jockey Florent Geroux riding, scored an impressive victory in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Distaff on Saturday Nov, 8, 2020, at Keeneland. (Photo courtesy of Keeneland photos)
Coming into this year’s championships, which were held at Keeneland, Nov. 6 and 7, the Distaff was probably one of, if not, the most highly anticipated races of the event.There were two highly-talented Thoroughbreds headlining the race, Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl, and everyone was hoping the two would hook up and have a memorable dual for the ages.
Swiss Skydiver came into the race with great credentials. This year the 3-year-old filly ran nine races, won five times, finished second two times and third once, while collecting $1,741,820 in earnings.
Her wins included the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), the Fantasy Stakes (G3), the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), the Alabama Stakes (G1), while also finishing second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and second in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2), when she took on the boys for the first time.
The highlight of her 2020 season came in the race leading up to the Breeders’ Cup when her trainer, Ken McPeek, decided to let her race against the boys for the second time, this time in a Classic – the Preakness Stakes (G1). In that race, with jockey Robby Albarado riding, she battled down the stretch, side-by-side with Authentic, and gallantly held off the 2020 Kentucky Derby winner to win by a neck.
Meanwhile, Monomoy Girl had overcome a lot to even be back in horse racing. After winning the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, the mare missed the next year-and-a-half due to colic and other physical injuries. However, she healed completely and Cox brought her back to race this year.
And, she didn’t disappoint, scoring three straight wins this year leading up to the Breeders’ Cup. The first was an allowance race, the second was the Ruffian Stakes (G2) and the third was the La Troienne Stakes (G1) all with Florent Geroux, who has been her jockey in all 14 career starts, aboard.
According to both trainers, their horses were in great shape, training well, and were ready for the challenge of the competition.
In addition, there were a few other horses with solid credentials in the 10-horse field.
Harvest Moon came into the race after winning four out of five of his races in 2020, including her two previous outings, the Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) and the Zenyatta Stakes (G2). Trained by Simon Callaghan, she would be ridden by her regular jockey, Flavien Prat.
Another horse to watch would be Dunbar Road, who had two wins in three starts in 2020. She won the Shawnee Stakes (black type) and the Delaware Handicap (G2), before finishing third in the Beldame Stakes (G2) in the race prior to the Breeders’ Cup. She is trained by Chad Brown, and would be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
One last horse to watch was Valiance, who was coming into the race off three straight wins. The first was an allowance race, the second the Eatontown Stakes (listed) and the third was the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes G1. She was trained by Todd Pletcher, and would be ridden by a new jockey (for her), Luis Saez.
As the horses lined up for the race on a beautiful, sunny and warm afternoon, with limited attendance present due to the Coronovirus, all eyes were on Swiss Skydiver in post position five, and Monomoy Girl on the outside in post position 10.
With the horses ready, the gates clanged open and, within one second, the hoped for intended match-up was over, as Swiss Skydiver stumbled out of the gate, was collected by Albarado, and settled into ninth place.
Meanwhile, Horologist, Ce Ce, and Lady Kate fought up front for the lead, while Geroux guided Monomoy Girl into seventh place, and eventually moved her to the outside to fourth place.
The field set some good fractions of 23.11, 46.03 and 1.09.94, on a track labeled “Fast,” though it was so fast it favored speed horses, as no horses laying in the back of the pack ever had a chance of winning all weekend long
Coming around the final turn and heading into the stretch, Monomoy Girl was four-wide and moved to the front to take the lead.
Behind her, coming out of the turn five wide was Valiance, who was trying to catch up to the leader.
On the inside, Swiss Skydiver worked hard to overcome her bad start, and actually got close to the leaders, but she was not able to continue on in strong fashion. She faded back and would finish seventh.
Up front, Monomoy Girl kept pushing on and while Valiance tried her best to catch up, it just wasn’t good enough on this day, and Monomoy Girl crossed the wire a winner by 1-3/4 lengths,
Valiance was second, with Dunbar Road in third a half-length back, followed by Harvest Moon, Ce, Point of Honor, Swiss Skydiver, Ollie's Candy, Horologist, and Lady Kate.
After the race, Albarado spoke about Swiss Skydiver’s stumble out of the gate, saying, “It maybe cost her a length or two position-wise, but it didn’t cost us the win. I’m disappointed we didn’t win, but I’m not disappointed in her. She’s a special filly and everybody knows her.”
The day, however, belonged to Monomoy Girl, who is by Tapizar-Drumette, by Henny Hughes. She finished the 1-1/8-mile race in 1:47.84, which was very close to the record set by Noble Bird of 1:47.75 in 2016.
“What a mare, just exceptional,” said Geroux. “She’s a mare of a lifetime, very rare. It’s like finding a diamond. When you have it, you do the best you can. It’s a gift. Even after all she’s been through, being off a year and a half, to come back and still be at the top of her game is unreal. I’m super thankful for the opportunity that Brad and the owners have given me.”
Added Cox, “She’s meant so much for so many people’s lives, she’s an amazing creature. I love her to pieces. Words can’t even describe it. I think she plays a big role in our other three Breeders’ Cup victories over the weekend. She’s meant so much to so many people’s lives. She was my first Grade 1 winner here at Keeneland. I’m just do proud of her.”
Owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables, Monomoy Girl improves her career record to 13 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds and $4,426,818, in 15 career starts.
She is also one of only four horses to win the Distaff twice, as she joins Royal Delta, Beholder and Bayakoa, who accomplished the same feat.
With the win, Cox joins Richard Mandella with a record tying four wins in one Breeders’ Cup Championship weekend,
"Words can’t even describe it," Cox said. "I think she plays a big role in our other three Breeders Cup victories over the weekend. She was my first Grade 1 winner here at Keeneland. I’m just do proud of her."
With the win, Monomoy Girl brought $4 for the win, $3 for the place, and $2.40 for the show. Valiance paid $8.80 and $5.60, while Dunbar Road paid $8 to show.
Postscript… On Sunday, Nov. 9, the day after the Breeders’ Cup, Monomoy Girl was sold for $9.5 million at the Fasig Tipton November Sale. She was purchased by Spendthrift Farm from the consignment of ELiTE, agent.
According to a report on the Fasig-Tipton website, "Ned Toffey of Spendthrift Farm told Alicia Wincze Hughes of the NTRA that Monomoy Girl will be returned to Cox and remain in training for another year."
That means, if she stays healthy, the potential future Hall of Famer, just might go for a third Breeders’ Cup Distaff win next year. Stay tuned.
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