Two-time Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Monomoy Girl left trainer Brad Cox's Keeneland barn shortly after 6 a.m. and made the 15-minute drive across town in Lexington, Ky., to Fasig-Tipton Co.'s auction house where she is scheduled to sell later Sunday.
Monomoy Girl improved her 2020 record to a perfect four for four with her Distaff victory, which was made even more remarkable by the fact that she had missed all of 2019 because of various minor ailments. In 2018, she capped a championship season that included the Kentucky Oaks and four other stakes with her first Distaff win.
“To be honest, it was a relief when she won,” Cox said. “I don't why, but there's just a lot of pressure with her, but she's never let us down.”
When asked if Monomoy Girl should be considered for Horse of the Year, Cox said yes.
“She's done nothing wrong,” Cox said. “There's obviously some very good horses out there that have accomplished a lot this year and yesterday. Ultimately, that's up to the voters. Who knows, maybe, depending on who buys her, you could see her again this year and maybe even next. I don't know where. I'll know a lot more later tonight. It will be exciting. It's like we've been through two days of Breeders' Cup and now we have to go through (the sale) with her.
“She looked great out of the race, I'm telling you she really looked amazing. I really have no clue what is going to happen (at the sales.)”
Cox said he, along with family and friends, celebrated his four overall Breeders' Cup win over the weekend at a local Japanese restaurant and that he was home by 9. His plans are to return to his Churchill base to saddle horses in races there before returning to Lexington for the sale.
“We just have to keep our heads down and keep going, continue doing what we're doing,” Cox said. I told someone this morning that we have to start preparing for Breeders' Cup 2021.”
“This was an amazing weekend of racing,” Cox said. “Very happy for our staff, our owners and our clients. Very happy and proud. Our horses showed up and ran their races.”
In addition to the Distaff, Cox won the Juvenile Fillies Turf with Aunt Pearl (IRE), TVG Juvenile with Essential Quality and the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile with Knicks Go.
“I mean I've been a huge fan of racing. I love racing and I've kept up with it since I was a young kid,” Cox said. “Really growing up Breeders' Cup weekend, Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Preakness weekend, those are highlights where I can look back at the tremendous horses who won those races and I can almost remember where I was at watching on TV. But it was an amazing weekend.”
Valiance, the runner-up in the Distaff, departed Keeneland at 6 a.m. for the 10-mile van ride across Lexington to Fasig-Tipton where she will be offered for sale this afternoon or early evening.
The 4-year-old Tapit filly was purchased by current owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Martin Schwartz for $650,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2017 sale of selected yearlings in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Breeder China Horse Club then bought back in. For the partnership she has earned $809,575 with a 9-6-1-0 record that includes her triumph in Keeneland's Juddmonte Spinster on Oct. 4.
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