ELMONT, N.Y. – The beat goes on for Monomoy Girl, who continued to run up the score on her march to the 3-year-old filly title by scoring her fourth straight victory, and third straight in a Grade 1, with an easy two-length victory on Saturday in the $671,000 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park.
Monomoy Girl ($3.20) had a gorgeous trip in the one-turn mile under Florent Geroux. She sat third as Moonshire Memories and Talk Veuve to Me dueled for the early lead for the first five furlongs, ranged up outside Talk Veuve to Me when Moonshine Memories began to wilt near the quarter pole, grabbed command in upper stretch, and never was in danger thereafter.
She won by two lengths over Talk Veuve to Me, who won the early battle with Moonshine Memories but could not stave off Monomoy Girl. Gio Game was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third, then came Moonshine Memories, Caledonia Road, and Starcloud in a field that was reduced to six following the morning scratch of Spectator.
Monomoy Girl completed one mile on the fast main track in 1:34.10.
“I think she’s a miler. She’s bred to be a miler, she has the speed to be a miler,” said her trainer, Brad Cox, who said Monomoy Girl had trained sharply since her victory five weeks ago in the Kentucky Oaks.
“What we saw today was what she had been showing me the last three weeks,” Cox said. “She’s a really nice filly. She lets you know when she’s ready to run.”
Cox said Geroux rode a perfect race.
“Good spot, pushed the button at the right time,” Cox said.
The disappointment in the race was the second choice, Caledonia Road. She was last year’s champion 2-year-old filly following her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but was dull in the Acorn, her second start following a lengthy layoff necessitated by ankle surgery.
Monomoy Girl, a daughter of Tapizar, has now won seven times in eight starts. Cox trains her for Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, the Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.
