Champion Monomoy Girl returned a winner after 18 months on the sidelines. Hammered down to 1-2 favoritism at the oval where she registered her two greatest triumphs, the chestnut was away in good order from the two-hole and was perched in a close-up fourth off the fence as Fashion Faux Pas (Flatter and Talk Veuve to Me (Violence) dueled through early splits of :22.87 and :46.33. Talk to Veuve to Me took control entering the far turn, but Monomoy Girl came roaring up behind her and was in front in a matter of strides. The Eclipse winner cruised clear in the lane under a hand ride from Florent Geroux and hit the line 4 1/2 lengths clear of a late-rallying Red Dane (Ity) (Red Rocks {Ire}).
“I felt very confident when she came off the turn in front,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It was a great race off the layoff. It was very positive seeing her be able to rate behind horses like that.”
Geroux echoed similar sentiments, saying, “She was able to rate a lot easier today than when she was 3-years-old. She gave us all the signs in the morning that she was ready. I think it is on to bigger things.”