Unbeaten Monomoy Girl faces 11 challengers in Golden Rod

Nov 22, 2017 by James Scully/Brisnet.com

Monmoy will put her 3-for-3 record on the line against 11 rivals in Saturday’s $200,000 Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs. After capturing her first two starts on turf, the 2-year-old daughter of Tapizar switched to the main track and posted a stylish 6 ½-length victory in her stakes debut, the October 29 Rags to Riches under the Twin Spires.

The 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod serves as Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier, awarding points on a 10-4-2-1 scale toward a berth in the Run for the Lillies next spring.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl registered a field-best 97 BRIS Speed rating last time and easily tops the Golden Rod in BRIS Prime Power (135.6). The expected favorite will break from post 6.

Sultry returns to stakes competition with a two-race win skein, taking a Keeneland allowance and the restricted Spendthrift Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs, and leading rider Corey Lanerie sticks with the improving Eddie Kenneally-trained Malibu Moon filly.

Kenneally is also responsible for Dessert Honeys, who finished a close second in a pair of starts versus Florida-bred stakes opponents before breaking her maiden by six lengths at Churchill Downs on November 1. Channing Hill takes over the reins.

Kelly’s Humor won her first two starts, including the Ellis Park Debutante, and rallied to be second in the Pocahontas (G2) at Churchill Downs two back. Last seen finishing fifth in the Alcibiades (G1), the Cox charge adds blinkers and the services of Ricardo Santana Jr.

Rusty Arnold will send out a trio. Foxtrot Sally finished eight lengths back of Monomoy Girl when third in the Rags to Riches and Cash Out exits a third in the grassy Jessamine (G3) at Keeneland to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) winner Rushing Fall. Ipanema Road, who finished second when making her lone appearance in a Keeneland maiden, will have to overcome a lack of experience and the far outside post.

Kenny McPeek has Deadline, who will make her stakes debut following maiden and allowance wins, and turf maiden winner Deadline in the mix. Mark Casse will be represented by Road to Victory, who picks up Julien Leparoux following a convincing first-out triumph on the turf at Woodbine.

The Golden Rod is part of the “Stars of Tomorrow II” program that also features the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) for male counterparts.