Monomoy Girl, the 2018 champion 3-year-old who missed all of her 4-year-old campaign, continued her comeback for trainer Brad Cox on Saturday, winning the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., by about two lengths over Vexatious, with Piedi Bianchi third in a field of five older fillies and mares.
Ridden by Florent Geroux, Monomoy Girl, a 5-year-old by Tapizar racing for Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables LLC, The Elkstone Group LLC, and Bethlemen Stables LLC, paid $2.30 to win as the odds-on favorite and covered one mile on a good main track in 1:34.13.
Monomoy Girl tracked Mother Mother through opening fractions of :22.84 and :45.55 for the first half mile, moved to the lead without urging and took command at the top of the stretch after six furlongs in 1:09.40. Geroux gave her a couple of taps with his riding crop in the stretch and the issue was never in doubt.
The win was the 11th in 13 career starts for Monomoy Girl, whose 2018 victories included the G1 Kentucky Oaks and the G1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff against older fillies and mares.
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