Cox Center Stage In Oaks With Monomoy Girl

[Wandering Eyes]

Trainer Brad Cox did not have a starter in the 2017 GI Kentucky Oaks, but that is not to suggest he didn’t make his presence felt on the undercard, as he sent out Benner Island (Speightstown) to win the GII Eight Belles S., Arklow (Arch) in the GII American Turf S. and Green Mask (Mizzen Mast) in the GIII TwinSpires Turf Sprint. The conditioner, whose star has been on the rise over the last few seasons, will get his chance in the spotlight Friday afternoon with three of the 14 runners for the $1-million affair, topped by stable star Monomoy Girl (Tapizar).

Already the owner of a stakes win beneath the Twin Spires and narrowly second in last year’s GII Golden Rod S., the $100,000 Keeneland September graduate hit the gate at the start of the GII Rachel Alexandra S. on seasonal debut Feb. 17, but overcame that adversity to defeat Classy Act (Into Mischief) by 2 1/2 lengths. She was back to her front-running ways when accounting for the running-on Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve) by 5 1/2 lengths in Keeneland’s GI Ashland S. Apr. 7. Cox will also send out GIII Fantasy S. upsetter Sassy Sienna (Midshipman) and Kelly’s Humor (Midnight Lute), recently runner-up in the seven-furlong GIII Beaumont S. at Keeneland Apr. 8.

“The Derby and Oaks are always something to look forward to,” Cox told the Churchill notes team. “It’s fun. You just want to be competitive. We had a great weekend last year, so we hope we can repeat that. We have 11 entered Friday and three on Saturday, so it will be busy.”

While the favorite figures to be prominent throughout, even if she concedes the lead in a race full of speed on paper, Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) will lag behind and put her lethal late kick to best use. The dark bay graduated in style in the GII Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Jan. 7 and has since gotten even better with a stretch out to two turns, with push-button acceleration to annex the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 3 and the GI Santa Anita Oaks by 3 1/2 lengths Apr. 7. She looks to give jockey Mike Smith his second consecutive win in the Oaks and his third since 2013.

Eskimo Kisses popped a big figure in clearing her first allowance condition at Oaklawn in February and has shown a good finishing kick in her last two, a near-miss behind Chocolate Martini (Broken Vow) in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks and a more distant runner-up effort behind Momomoy Girl in the Ashland. The expected fast pace and an extra sixteenth of a mile can work in her favor.

The progressive My Miss Lilly (Tapit) also merits longshot consideration. Third to Take Charge Paula (Take Charge Indy) in the seven-furlong GIII Forward Gal S. Feb. 3, the $670,000 KEESEP acquisition was third after hitting the gate in the Mar. 3 Busher S. at Aqueduct and improved even further to land the Apr. 7 GII Gazelle S. by a half-length.

 

View the full article