Mr. Monomoy's pedigree and race record are about as American as they come, but his time with Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stud in Ireland set the gears in motion to realize his potential stateside.
The son of Palace Malice is a half-sibling to champion Monomoy Girl, but the probable future Hall of Famer hadn't begun to tap into her true star power by the time her younger brother went through the ring as a weanling at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
He was purchased by Fir Grove Farm for $60,000 as a weanling-to-yearling pinhook prospect, but Willie Browne of Mocklershill Stud said the colt wasn't ready for primetime. Mr. Monomoy was entered in the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, but he was withdrawn before going through the ring.
“He was a nice foal, a little dipped in the back,” Browne said. “We brought him back to Keeneland as a yearling, having had the big update with Monomoy Girl. I thought I didn't have a home run. He looked backward and there was no interest in him.”
Browne had no other option but to bring the colt back to Ireland and train him toward a breeze up sale in Europe. He was pointed toward the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale, but the road to the French sale continued to have twists and turns.
“He was quite difficult to train in the first couple of months, having nagging problems such as sore shins,” Browne said. “Consequently, he had a short preparation for the Arqana Sale. He worked exceptionally well in the two weeks leading up to the sale.”
Mr. Monomoy sold to Mandore International Agency for 180,000 Euros (US$202,230), and he was returned stateside. He debuted later that year for owners Madaket Stables, Built To Win Stable, and Doheny Racing Stable. Michael Dubb would eventually buy in on the horse, as well.
The colt broke his maiden by 5 1⁄2 furlongs in his second start as a juvenile, and he continued to improve at three with a third in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes. His final start was his most important, going wire-to-wire and drawing off to win the G2 Risen Star Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths.
Mr. Monomoy is currently standing his first season as a stallion at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, N.Y.
Though he was offered in a European sale, Browne said he was not surprised that Mr. Monomoy became successful as a U.S. dirt runner. The horseman said about 15 of the 85 to 90 horses he acquired in Mr. Monomoy's class were born or purchased in the U.S., making the transition back to the home turf a logical one.
There are numerous recent examples of prominent U.S. runners who were sold as juveniles at the European breeze up sales; a list that includes Preakness Stakes winner War of Will, G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Ete Indien, and Grade 3 winners Outburst and Vitalogy.
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