Monomoy Girl – The 2018 Longines Distaff winner Monomoy Girl continues to impress her trainer Brad Cox as she prepares for his second start in the race. The Tapizar mare won the 2018 Ashland at Keeneland to give Cox his first career Grade 1 before capturing the Kentucky Oaks and eventually ending that year with her Breeders’ Cup score. This year’s Distaff will be only her second start at the famed Lexington track, but she is very familiar with her surroundings here.
“She’s good, really good,” Cox said. “She’s as good as she’s ever been honestly. It’s scary to see how well she’s moving, how happy she is and how fresh she is. She really likes Keeneland. She spent a lot of time here as a 2-year-old and obviously won the Ashland here and prepared for the Ashland here. She was here for a few weeks before the race then. And, she spent a good time here this spring. Most of her works before getting back to races were here at Keeneland. She does love it here, there’s no doubt about it.”