Monomoy Girl

With a win in the Ruffian Stakes (G2) July 11, Monomoy Girl proved she is ready to return to the highest levels of racing after an 18-month absence. Her two-length score at Belmont pushed her earnings to over $3 million, and the 5-year-old improved her career record to eleven wins from 13 starts.

She dominated 2018, finishing first in every race, including the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), culminating with the chestnut earning the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly. Her lone second that year came when she was disqualified and placed behind Midnight Bisou, a rival she has bested three times, in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx.

A case of colic and a pulled muscle forced Monomoy Girl to miss her 4-year-old campaign. In her absence, Midnight Bisou dominated the division, winning seven of eight starts, and was named champion older dirt female. Race fans are clamoring to have the two stars meet to determine the champion mare of 2020.

Sol Kumin is in the ownership group for both horses.

"You want them to race against each other at some point. It's good for racing, and obviously it will happen," he said. "The whole Midnight Bisou-Monomoy Girl thing is weird for me since I own both of them. It's rare to have two horses this good in the same division. Hopefully, they can both stay sound and eventually face each other.”

Monomoy Girl gave trainer Brad Cox his first career Grade 1 win. He is pleased with how she is currently training.

"I'm not saying she's faster than she was," he said. "But, training on a daily basis, she's moving better. She's happier, and her works are better than they were at 3."

Jockey Florent Geroux, who has ridden the mare in 12 of her 13 starts, agrees.

"I think she's just as good now as she was at 3," he said. "She's been training nicely, and she's showing all the signs that she's the same filly she was in 2018."

Kumin purchased her for $100,000 and named her for an island off of Cape Cod. Her father, Tapizar, won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).