On the same card that would see 3-year-old colt Justify become the 13th Triple Crown winner, the nation’s leading 3-year-old filly, Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Monomoy Girl, captured her third consecutive Grade 1 race in the one-mile Acorn Stakes June 9 at Belmont Park.
The daughter of Tapizar had scored in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes (G1) on April 7 before wearing the lilies May 4 at Churchill Downs.
Breaking a half-step slow in the Acorn, Monomoy Girl stalked the early leaders in third under regular rider Florent Geroux before making a five-wide move to the lead around the turn. The chestnut filly crossed the wire with a comfortable two-length advantage over runner-up Talk Veuve to Me in a quick final time of 1:34.10.
Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl is now seven-for-eight lifetime. She earned a new career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 98 and a negative ¾ Thoro-Graph number in the Acorn. With earnings just shy of $1.5 million, Monomoy Girl has helped to propel Tapizar to the top of North America’s third-crop sire list.
Monomoy Girl was bred by Brendan and Olive Gallagher’s Frankfort Park Stud and Michael Hernon’s Highfield Ranch out of the Henny Hughes mare Drumette. Agent Liz Crow went to $100,000 to acquire Monomoy Girl at the 2016 Keeneland September sale for owners Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.