LEXINGTON, Ky. — The expected duel gave way to domination in the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Saturday at Keeneland.
Monomoy Girl capped off her 2020 comeback campaign in brilliant fashion, winning the $2 million Grade 1 race for trainer Brad Cox, repeating her 2018 Distaff victory by finishing 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Valiance with Dunbar Road finishing third.
Ridden by Florent Geroux, Monomoy Girl paid $4.00, $3.00 and $2.40. Valiance, trained by Todd Pletcher and winner of the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 20, paid $8.80 and $5.60. Dunbar Road, trained by Chad Brown, paid $8.00.
The race had shaped up as a showdown between Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver, who beat the boys in the Preakness Stakes back on Oct. 3 at Pimlico. But Swiss Skydiver broke a step slow from the gate Saturday and finished seventh under jockey Robby Albarado.
"(Albarado) said she stumbled leaving," trainer Kenny McPeek said. "It's been an unlucky weekend. But she's got a ladder to climb to go against older and fillies and mares."
Especially against a champion like Monomoy Girl.
"She deserves Hall of Fame status, that filly," McPeek said.
Monomoy Girl earned the 2018 Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old filly after winning all seven of her races, including the Kentucky Oaks and the Breeders' Cup Distaff. A bad case of colic, followed by a pulled gluteal muscle kept her out of the starting gate in 2019, however.
"I think most people would have just packed it in," said Stuart Grant, part of the ownership group that includes Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, Grant's Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stable. "But we all love to race and we said, 'Is there a way?' And Brad Cox and a whole team put her back together again."
After an 18-month layoff, Monomoy Girl was 3 for 3 in 2020, including wins in the Grade 2 Ruffian and Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs heading into the Breeders' Cup.
"I thought she was better than she's ever been coming in, I really, really did," Cox said. "Just a tremendous filly."
"Brad Cox has been the master," said Sol Kumin of Monomoy Stables. "Knowing when to push, knowing when to step back. He said if I can get her back to winning a Grade 1 this will be my biggest accomplishment as a trainer."
The 38-year old Cox has a growing list of accomplishments. The Distaff was the Louisville native's fourth victory of the Breeders' Cup weekend. He won the Juvenile Fillies Turf with Aunt Pearl and the Juvenile with Essential Quality on Friday. Cox captured the Dirt Mile on Saturday with Knicks Go before Monomoy Girl's win.
"I'm just very fortunate to be part of her team," he said.
Monomoy Girl is scheduled to be sold at Fasig-Tipton on Sunday, but the owners said Saturday they would get together on a conference call and decide if is still the plan.
"She's had an unbelievable career and we'll put our heads together and figure out what's best for her," Kumin said.
