Monomoy Girl Tough to Get Past in Ashland

[Chief Stipe]

Nearly unbeaten Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) looms an imposing presence in Saturday’s GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland as she looks to solidify herself as the favorite for next month’s GI Kentucky Oaks. The Brad Cox trainee started her career two-for-two on the grass, but handled the switch to the main track just fine when she aired by 6 1/2 lengths in Churchill’s Rags to Riches S. in October. Upended by a neck by the subsequently sidelined Road to Victory (Quality Road) in the GII Golden Rod S. back under the Twin Spires Nov. 25, she showed a different dimension in the Feb. 17 GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds when going last to first. Fourth in that heat was Texas-bred Patrona Margarita (Special Rate), who previously upset Churchill’s GII Pocahontas S. back in September. On figures, Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve) appears most likely to give the chalk a run for her money. Conditioned by two-time Ashland winner Ken McPeek, the chestnut stepped forward off a graduation score to air by 11 1/2 lengths in a sloppy Oaklawn allowance Feb. 22, earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure that’s one point higher than Monomoy Girl’s top. She followed up with a head second in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, defeating three also-rans from the Rachel Alexandra. Don Alberto homebred Andina del Sur (Giant’s Causeway) is one of the more interesting Ashland entrants, as she’ll try a surface other than turf for the first time. The chestnut pulled off a 13-1 upset in Tampa’s GIII Florida Oaks Mar. 10, and will be looking to avenge trainer Tom Albertrani’s neck second in the 2009 running of this race with another talented turfer in Gozzip Girl (Dynaformer). Dale Romans took the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks a week ago with a somewhat later developing filly in Coach Rocks (Oxbow), and will look for a similar result here with C. S. Incharge (Take Charge Indy), who broke through in start number five before annexing Tampa’s Suncoast S. next out Feb. 10.

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