Oaks Undercard previews: Champion Monomoy Girl tops field of eight for La Troienne

By Gary Yunt —-

LOUISVILLE, KY (Monday, Aug. 31, 2020) – Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables’ Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, headlines of a field of eight for Friday’s 35th running of the $500,000 La Troienne presented by Oak Grove Racing & Gaming (GI).

The La Troienne, for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, is one of six graded stakes on Friday’s 13-race program that begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) and is headlined by the 146th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). The La Troienne will go as the day’s 11th race with a 4:50 p.m. post time.

Also on the program is the 17th running of the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the 65th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track, the 36th running of the $300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf and the26th running of the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl has won five Grade I races in her career that has produced more than $3 million in earnings. Two of her biggest victories came at Churchill Downs where she won the 2018 Kentucky Oaks and the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI).

Winner of the Ruffian (GII) in her most recent start, Monomoy Girl will be ridden in the La Troienne by Florent Geroux and break from post position eight.

Among the competition lined up to face Monomoy Girl is defending champion She’s a Julie and Vexatious, who upset Midnight Bisou in Saratoga’s Personal Ensign (GI) on Aug. 1.

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim and Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables’ She’s a Julie notched her second Grade I victory in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont in June. Trained by Steve Asmussen, She’s a Julie will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position six.

Calumet Farm’s Vexatious, fourth in the 2017 Kentucky Oaks in her lone main track try at Churchill Downs, was second in the Ruffian to Monomoy Girl before winning the Personal Ensign. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Vexatious will break from post position two under Tyler Gaffalione.

The field for the La Troienne, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Horologist (John Velazquez, 120 pounds), Vexatious (Gaffalione, 123), With Dignity (Julien Leparoux, 118), Saracosa (Martin Garcia, 118), Risky Mandate (David Cohen, 118), She’s a Julie (Santana Jr., 123), Lady Kate (Javier Castellano, 118) and Monomoy Girl (Geroux, 123).

McKINZIE SHOOTS FOR ALYSHEBA REPEAT – Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman’s McKinzie will attempt to become the first repeat winner of the Alysheba when he takes on seven rivals.

The Alysheba will go as the day’s 10th race with a 4:154 post time.

Trained by Bob Baffert, McKinzie romped to a 4 ¾-length victory in last year’s Alysheba. Fifth in the Metropolitan Handicap (GI) going a mile in his most recent start, McKinzie will be ridden Friday by Mike Smith and break from post position two.

Looming as the top challenger to McKinzie is Allied Racing Stable’s By My Standards. Runner-up in the Whitney (GI) in his most recent start and a winner of three of five starts in 2020, By My Standards is trained by Bret Calhoun and will be ridden Friday by Gabriel Saez and break from post position six.

The field for the Alysheba, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Silver Dust (Adam Beschizza, 120 pounds), McKinzie (Smith, 118), Owendale (Florent Geroux (118), Hence (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Mr Freeze (Manny Franco, 123), By My Standards (Saez, 123), Title Ready (Corey Lanerie, 118) and Bodexpress (Javier Castellano, 118).

Four Graces headlines Eight Belles – Witham Thoroughbreds’ homebred Four Graces, riding a three-race win streak, headlines of field of seven for the Eight Belles.

Scheduled as the day’s eighth race, post time for the Eight Belles will be 3:05.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Four Graces has won four of five career starts and has posted Grade III in her past two starts in the Beaumont at Keeneland and the Dogwood at Churchill Downs.

Julien Leparoux, who has been aboard for all of Four Graces’ victories, will ride Friday and break from post position 8.

The field for the Eight Belles, from the rail out with riders and weights, is: Mundaye Call (Florent Geroux, 118 pounds), Never Forget (Javier Castellano, 118), Extra Effort (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Purrfectly Claire (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Sconsin (James Graham, 118), Perfect Happiness (Rafael Bejarano, 118) and Four Graces (Leparoux, 120).

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner sharing faces seven in Edgewood – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stables’ Sharing, winner of the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) at Santa Anita last fall and the Tepin at Churchill Downs in her 2020 debut, tops a field of eight for the Edgewood.

The Edgewood will go as the day’s ninth race with a 3:40 post time.

Trained by Graham Motion, Sharing will be making her first start since finishing second in the Group I Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Manny Franco has the mount Friday and will break from post position three.

The field for the Edgewood, from the rail out with riders and weights, is: In Good Spirits (Miguel Mena, 118 pounds), Hendy Woods (John Velazquez, 118), Sharing (Franco, 118), Lucky Betty (Declan Cannon, 118), Outburst (GB) (Tyler Gaffalione, 120), Pranked (James Graham, 118), Mariafoot (FR) (Florent Geroux, 118) and Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) (Javier Castellano, 118).

Diamond Oops, Bound for Nowhere top deep field in Twin Spires turf sprint – Diamond Oops, making his return to the grass for the first time since finishing second in last fall’s Shadwell Turf Mile (GI), and Grade II winner Bound for Nowhere head a deep field of 14 grass sprinters and one also-eligible in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint.

The Twin Spires Turf Sprint will go as the day’s 13th race with a 6:20 post time.

Owned by Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, DP Racing and Patrick Biancone Racing, Diamond Oops is a three-time graded stakes placed runner on dirt to go with his grass success. Trained by Patrick Biancone, Diamond Oops will be making his first start since June and be ridden by Florent Geroux out of post position one.

Bound for Nowhere, owned and trainer by Wesley Ward, won the 2018 Shakertown at Keeneland at the 5 12/2-furlong distance and finished third beaten a neck in this year’s edition July 11 in his most recent start.

Julio Garcia has the mount and will break from post position four.

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Diamond Oops (Geroux, 121), Wellabled (Manny Franco, 121), Real News (Joe Talamo, 121), Bound for Nowhere (Garcia, 121), Extravagant Kid (Tyler Gaffalione, 121), Tell Your Daddy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121), Smart Remark, Rafael Bejarano, 121), Just Might (Colby Hernandez, 121), Jazzy Times (Miguel Mena, 121), Carotari (Julien Leparoux, 121), Fielder (Paco Lopez, 121), Chaps (Corey Lanerie, 121), Tiger Blood (Ricardo Santana Jr., 121) and Chief Cicatriz (James Graham, 121). Also-Eligible: High Crime (Javier Castellano, 121).