Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables' Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, headlines of a field of eight for Friday's 35th running of the $500,000 La Troienne presented by Oak Grove Racing & Gaming (GI) at Churchill Downs.
The La Troienne, for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, is one of six graded stakes on Friday's 13-race program that begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) and is headlined by the 146th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). The La Troienne will go as the day's 11th race with a 4:50 p.m. post time.
Also on the program is the 17th running of the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the 65th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track, the 36th running of the $300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf and the 26th running of the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.
Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl has won five Grade I races in her career that has produced more than $3 million in earnings. Two of her biggest victories came at Churchill Downs where she won the 2018 Kentucky Oaks and the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI).
Winner of the Ruffian (GII) in her most recent start, Monomoy Girl will be ridden in the La Troienne by Florent Geroux and break from post position eight.
Among the competition lined up to face Monomoy Girl is defending champion She's a Julie and Vexatious, who upset Midnight Bisou in Saratoga's Personal Ensign (GI) on Aug. 1.
Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim and Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables' She's a Julie notched her second Grade I victory in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont in June. Trained by Steve Asmussen, She's a Julie will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position six.
Calumet Farm's Vexatious, fourth in the 2017 Kentucky Oaks in her lone main track try at Churchill Downs, was second in the Ruffian to Monomoy Girl before winning the Personal Ensign. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Vexatious will break from post position two under Tyler Gaffalione.
The field for the La Troienne, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Horologist (John Velazquez, 120 pounds), Vexatious (Gaffalione, 123), With Dignity (Julien Leparoux, 118), Saracosa (Martin Garcia, 118), Risky Mandate (David Cohen, 118), She's a Julie (Santana Jr., 123), Lady Kate (Javier Castellano, 118) and Monomoy Girl (Geroux, 123).
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