Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

Monomoy Girl On Top Again in La Troienne

After missing the entire 2019 season due to injury and colic, 2018’s champion sophomore filly Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) returned to Grade I glory with an easy score in Friday’s GI La Troienne S. at Churchill Downs. Away in good order from the outside stall in this eight-horse affair, the 2-5 chalk was four-wide rounding the first turn in a joint third as Lady Kate (Bernardini) hustled up to the front with Risky Mandate (Strong Mandate) shadowing her through a :23.4 opening quarter-mile. Racing off the fence in third, Monomoy Girl sat back patiently a few lengths off the top two as the half went in :46.26. Closing the gap with ease on the backstretch run, the Eclipse winner ranged up alongside the pacesetter while three wide turning for home. Shrugging off her rival at the eighth-pole, Monomoy Girl cruised clear under a hand ride for a facile victory. Lady Kate held second and hard-knocking Jersey-bred Horologist (Gemologist) completed the trifecta.

“She’s the only horse I get nervous running,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “Once I leg up Florent [Geroux] it’s 10 minutes of anxiety. He did have to work on her a little bit to clear off from Lady Kate. She’s a true champion and is able to overcome a four-wide trip into the first turn. She’s the horse of a lifetime. The way she’s trained since the spring, since April, is when she took off.”

“There was no doubt,” said Geroux. “She gave us every indication in the morning that she was back at a top level. In the [GII] Ruffian, when she beat Vexatious (Giant’s Causeway) pretty easily and then Vexatious came back and beat Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) [in the GI Personal Ensign S.], it gave us a better line from there. Even if it wasn’t for that, she’s been working extremely well in the morning. There is no doubt she is a champion horse and definitely a horse of a lifetime.”

As for the trip, Geroux said, “There was a little bit of congestion going into the first turn, but I had a nice outside post. I was never worried. I was on the best horse and we had a great trip. I just had to push the button when she was ready.”

Monomoy Girl captured the GII Rachel Alexandra S., GI Ashland S., GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Acorn S., GI CCA Oaks and GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff during her Eclipse award-winning sophomore season in 2018. Given a brief freshening after her championship campaign, the chestnut returned to the Cox barn in the winter of 2019, but was soon sidelined by a case of colic. After rehabbing at WinStar, she rejoined Cox last July, but was sent to the bench yet again with a hamstring injury, which kept her off the track for the rest of her 4-year-old year. Back with Cox once again at the start of 2020, Monomoy Girl made a triumphant return in a sloppy one-mile optional claimer at Churchill Downs May 16 and scored a decisive victory in Belmont’s GII Ruffian S. July 11.

Pedigree Notes:

The winner’s dam Drumette–a half-sister to GSW Drum Major (Dynaformer)–summoned $1.85 million from Bridlewood at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale while carrying a foal by Mastery. The resulting foal was a fill and she had a colt by Tapit May 25 of this year. Monomoy Girl’s 3-year-old half-brother Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) won one of the divisions of this year’s GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds, but was knocked off the GI Kentucky Derby trail with a minor injury. Her 2-year-old half-brother Superman Shaq (Shackleford) sold to Justin Casse at last month’s OBS Spring Sale for $550,000 and finished sixth on debut for Peter Miller at Del Mar Aug. 8, but breezed a sharp five furlongs in 1:00 flat from the gate there Aug. 30.

Friday, Churchill Downs
LA TROIENNE S. PRESENTED BY OAK GROVE RACING AND GAMING-GI, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 9-4, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:42.14, ft.
1–MONOMOY GIRL, 123, m, 5, by Tapizar
1st Dam: Drumette, by Henny Hughes
2nd Dam: Endless Parade, by Williamstown
3rd Dam: Mnemosyne, by Saratoga Six
($100,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-M. Dubb, Monomoy Stables, LLC,
The Elkstone Group, LLC (Stuart Grant) & Bethlehem Stables
LLC; B-FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent
Geroux. $300,700. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly, 14-12-2-0,
$3,386,818. *1/2 to Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice), GSW,
$327,162. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lady Kate, 118, f, 4, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Princess Haya, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sally Slew, by Slew City Slew
3rd Dam: Precocious Lass, by Distinctive
($485,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-Anderson Stables, LLC; B-Eileen
H. Hartis & Godolphin (KY); T-Eddie Kenneally. $97,000.
3–Horologist, 120, f, 4, by Gemologist
1st Dam: Cinderella Time, by Stephen Got Even
2nd Dam: Dethroned, by Defrere
3rd Dam: Capture the Crown, by Crafty Prospector
O-There’s A Chance Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds,
Medallion Racing & Abbondanza Racing, LLC; B-Holly Crest
Farm (NJ); T-William I. Mott. $48,500.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 3/4, 2. Odds: 0.40, 17.20, 5.90.
Also Ran: Saracosa, Vexatious, She’s a Julie, With Dignity, Risky Mandate. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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By My Standards Shows Grit In Alysheba Stakes Victory

After finishing second in two of his three career starts at Churchill Downs, the fourth time was the charm for By My Standards, who turned away a calvary charge of some of the older male division's runners on Friday to win the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes.

The 4-year-old son of Goldencents sat calmly to the outside of pacesetter Mr Freeze, who led the field through an opening quarter in :25.71 seconds, with McKinzie, Owendale, and Silver Dust all remaining within striking distance. By My Standards remained attached to the outside hip of Mr Freeze as they approached the final turn in a leisurely :49.93, and then under jockey Gabriel Saez, By My Standards began to lodge a challenge for the lead as the front duo turned for home.

By My Standards entered the stretch with the lead, with Mr Freeze conceding on the inside path, Owendale looming on the outside, and McKinzie diving in to attempt splitting horses. Both Owendale and McKinzie loomed as threats to By My Standards, who changed leads on multiple occasions in the stretch, but an aggressive ride by Saez and a right-handed whip to keep the horse on task saw the colt find another gear and draw off from his rivals to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths. Owendale carried on from a wide trip to finish second, edging out a late-gaining Silver dust, while McKinzie finished fourth.

By My Standards completed 1 1/16-mile race in 1:42.24 over a fast main track for owner Allied Racing Stable and trainer Bret Calhoun. He paid $5 to win as the post time favorite.

The victory was worth $245,520 and increased By My Standards' earnings to $1,764,430 record of 12-6-4-1.

It was a successful reunion for By My Standards and Saez, who rode the colt for each of his first nine starts, but wasn't aboard for his two most recent efforts, both runner-up finishes. The pair have won all four starts together this year, including the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic Stakes and G2 Oaklawn Handicap.

It was also a bit of redemption in the colt's Churchill Downs resume. By My Standards finished second in his debut start at Churchill Downs in November of his juvenile season in 2018, then returned a year later to finish 12th in the Kentucky Derby. Earlier this year, he ran second in the G2 Stephen Foster Stakes.

Bred in Kentucky by Don Ladd, By My Standards is out of the Grade 2-placed stakes-winning Muqtarib mare A Jealous Woman. He was a $150,000 purchase out of the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

See the full chart here.

ALYSHEBA QUOTES, courtesy of the Churchill Downs media office

Gabriel Saez (winning rider, By My Standards) — “A little bit out of the gate, I see (Manny) Franco trying to get going (on Mr Freeze). I said, 'OK, he's going to go. I'm going to stay in here close. It was not really fast on the front end, but when it was time to get running around the half-mile pole, he picked up an extra gear. Each time I asked him to give me that acceleration, he did. I was really confident in him today. I was expecting him to run a huge race today, and here we are. I'm glad we got the job done. I'm looking forward to the Breeders' Cup. Fingers crossed and hope for the best.”

Bret Calhoun (winning trainer, By My Standards) – “Winning a race like this at Churchill is always special for our entire team. This horse got in some interesting pace scenarios in the last two starts and today Gabe (Saez) gave him the perfect ride and sat a perfect trip the entire way around there. It's kind of weird to think the Alysheba is a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) but we're going to go with it and hope to get there in November.”

Brad Cox (trainer, Owendale, second) — “There was no pace. I didn't really know what to expect. Going into it, I didn't think there was going to be much pace on paper and then obviously there was none. I am finding out about this horse … that he doesn't really like kickback. He likes being out in the clear. He'll run, but he's not going to take it over the span of 5-6 furlongs and then expect to run on. He ran good, I was proud of the effort. He was beaten by a very, very good horse here. After the last race here (fifth in the Grade II Stephen Foster on June 27), I was kind of wondering where we belong in the handicap division and he put himself back in the mix. Very pleased, I was glad he got it turned around. Just his third race this year so hopefully we'll see what happens coming out of this.”

Adam Beschizza (rider, Silver Dust, third) – “He ran his usual solid performance. I'm delighted for Bret (Calhoun). He's been looking for redemption for a while with that horse (By My Standards). Silver Dust (also trained by Calhoun) is always knocking on the door. He always brings home a check. I'm sure his day is right around the corner.”

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‘That Sort Of Swing, The Glide, The Stride’: Shirreffs Says Honor A. P. Should Go The Distance

Honor A. P., the likely second choice for Saturday's rescheduled edition of the Kentucky Derby, has made quite an impression galloping over the Churchill Downs surface in the mornings. The son of Honor Code has the look of his grandsire, A.P. Indy, and should relish the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Run for the Roses, according to trainer John Shirreffs.

“Obviously he's named after his grandsire, so what he really has is a really big stride,” Shirreffs explained. “He has a long underline, and he has a very big stride, and it's an effortless stride. Like, when you watch sprinters run, they kind of run hard, like they're turning the stride over, turning the stride over, turning the stride over. You're not seeing that swing, that little rhythm to their stride, usually.

“With Honor A. P., that's what you see, that sort of swing, the glide, the stride; swing, glide, stride. That shows or indicates that he's not putting a lot of effort into it, so that helps horses go farther.”

Though he was particularly impressive winning the Santa Anita Derby on June 6, racing pundits may be hesitant to back Honor A. P. after his loss last out in the Shared Belief Stakes. Shirreffs explained that he didn't have the colt completely focused on running ahead of that 1 1/16-mile contest at Del Mar.

“Going into the Shared Belief, we were working on other things than cranking him up for the race,” the trainer said. “We were working on his attitude a little bit, trying to get him to behave a little bit better. He was starting to feel really good, and he was starting to be a little difficult to handle. So we wanted to do everything we could to quiet him, calm him down, get him to relax, and not crank him up and get him stressing.

“The only way you can do that with a big strong animal is to quiet them, and the best way to quiet them is to give them lots of exercise. Wet saddle blankets is the best thing for a high-strung horse.”

Honor A. P. has been on his best behavior at Churchill this week, and while Shirreffs believes he's ready for the challenge, the trainer said he'd just as soon have run the Derby in May.

“It would have been nice to run then, because the sequence would have been perfect,” he said. “I don't think the four months have helped him or hurt him, he was pretty precocious early on.”

Shirreffs knows what a Kentucky Derby winner looks like, after all. He saddled Giacomo to an upset victory in 2005, and told reporters he still hasn't watch the replay from that first Saturday in May.

“The feeling I had after the race was so special, I want to keep that feeling,” Shirreffs said. “I don't want to analyze the race, and go, 'oh, look at this and look at that.' I just want to think of the whole thing and the feeling I got from it.”

He'll miss the fans at this year's September Derby, of course, but Shirreffs is hoping for a big effort from Honor A. P. on Saturday.

“(Listening to the fans is) sort of an electric feeling, but winning the Derby is always special,” said Shirreffs. “But Honor A. P. is a completely different horse, and it's his opportunity, so we want to make the best of that.”

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Newspaperofrecord a Headliner on Derby Undercard

‘TDN Rising Star’ Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) returns to the site of her biggest career victory in Saturday’s GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S.

The 2018 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine beneath the Twin Spires has begun to make up for a winless season at three for trainer Chad Brown with a pair of jaw-dropping wins at Belmont this June-the GIII Intercontinental S. and the GI Just a Game S.

The 4-5 morning-line favorite will be piloted for the first time by Javier Castellano.

Brad Cox will saddle the co-second choices, Beau Recall (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and Juliet Foxtrot (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

Beau Recall, a last-to-first upset winner of this race last year, completed the exacta behind Newspaperofrecord in the Just a Game. She enters off a fifth-place finish as the favorite while attempting to defend her title in the GII Yellow Ribbon H. at Del Mar Aug. 8.

Juliet Foxtrot has lost five in a row since capturing last summer’s GIII Modesty H. at Arlington while placing in a trio of Grade I events. She was third last time in Keeneland’s GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. July 11.

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