Monomoy Girl, Promises Fulfilled Head Breeders' Cup Contingent on Saturday Work Tab at Churchill Downs

Oct 20, 2018 Kevin Kerstein,Churchill Downs Communications

Top Longines Distaff (Grade I) contender Monomoy Girl and Promises Fulfilled, one of the likely leaders in the TwinSpires Sprint (GI) or Dirt Mile (GI), headed a busy Saturday morning work tab at Churchill Downs as contenders continue their preparations for the Nov. 2-3 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables’ Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Monomoy Girl breezed a swift five furlongs in 1:00.20 with regular rider Florent Geroux aboard on the outside of stablemate Dazzling Gem (five furlongs, 1:01.40). She rattled off eighth-mile splits of :12.80, :24.60, :36.40 and :48.60 before finishing her breeze by galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“It was a fantastic breeze,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We got a little bit of rain overnight so the track was a little slow but she worked fantastic over it. She started a few lengths behind the work mate and finished up strong in front of him and galloped out well. We’ll probably come back next week to work a half-mile prior to the Distaff.”

Monomoy Girl, one of the likely favorites for the Distaff, was most recently placed second in a controversial running of the $1 million Cotillion (GI) at Parx after the stewards deemed she caused interference with Midnight Bisou in the stretch.

The 3-year-old daughter of Tapizar sports a stout 10-8-2-0—$1,854,750 record, including three victories at the historic Louisville oval.

Following the track’s second renovation break at 9 a.m. (all times Eastern), trainer Dale Romans breezed the speedy Promises Fulfilled a half-mile in :48 with opening splits of :11.60 and :35.60 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.60, according to Nichols.

“It was a great work after his last start (in the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland),” Romans said. “We’re going to pre-enter both the Sprint and Dirt Mile but I’d lean to run him in the Sprint. We still have a shot to be Sprint Champion with this horse and, even if we won the Dirt Mile, we may not be champion.”

Owner Bob Baron flew to Louisville from his home in upstate New York with his wife of 44 years, Debbie, to watch the breeze alongside Romans.

“This horse has special meaning to my family and me,” Baron said. “I named this horse after my wife and the many promises over the years that we kept to each other and our children. And, also, a promise I kept with Dale over the years that we’re going to get a good horse one day.”

Promises Fulfilled was not originally nominated to the Breeders’ Cup but Baron stated he will pay a supplemental fee to be eligible for the race.

Following Promises Fulfilled’s breeze, Romans worked Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile contender Seven Trumpets five furlongs in 1:00.20.

Also on the Churchill Downs work tab Saturday was Ironhorse Racing Stable’s Woodford Stakes (GIII) winner Bucchero, who worked a half-mile in :48.60 under jockey Fernando De La Cruz through splits of :12.20, :24.40 and :36.60 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02, according to Nichols.

“I was very pleased with how he worked this morning,” trainer Tim Glyshaw said. “It’ll be exciting running him out of his own backyard on Breeders’ Cup Day. We may gallop him over the turf once or twice when it opens Breeders’ Cup week but he trains well over the dirt so it doesn’t really have too much of an impact one way or another.”

Glyshaw, a former school teacher from Indiana, will be celebrating his 50^th birthday on Breeders’ Cup Saturday.

Bucchero, the richest Indiana-bred in history with 11 victories and $937,936 in purse earnings, will be retired and stand stud at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida in 2019.

Earlier in the morning, Cox breezed Thoroughbred Club of America (GII) winner Golden Mischief a half-mile in :50.60 and Woodford (GIII) runner-up Will Call four furlongs in :49.80.

“It was just easy works for them since they just ran,” Cox said. “Golden Mischief is still targeting the Filly and Mare Sprint and Will Call could be pretty tough in the Turf Sprint (GI). I didn’t want to do too much with them this morning so they went easy but looked good doing so.”

Also on the Saturday work tab was Prioress Stakes (GII) runner-up Mia Mischief, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

For the latest Breeders’ Cup arrivals and work out news from at Churchill Downs, follow @DerbyMedia on Twitter.

BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC CONTENDER CATHOLIC BOY SCHEDULED TO WORK SUNDAY – Robert LaPenta, Madaket Stables, Siena Farm and Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Travers Stakes (Grade I) winner Catholic Boy is scheduled to breeze at 5:30 a.m. ET Sunday with jockey Javier Castellano aboard for a start in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), according to trainer Jonathan Thomas.

“We’ll breeze him early Sunday to try and get the best track condition,” said Thomas, who arrived at Churchill Downs Thursday. “Javier also has to ride that afternoon at Belmont so he’ll have to make a flight right after the breeze. We’ll probably go during the Breeders’ Cup training window (7:30-7:45 a.m. beginning Saturday, Oct. 27) for his work next week.”

The 3-year-old colt by More Than Ready has won three-consecutive graded stakes races on both the turf and dirt: June 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on turf; July 7 Belmont Derby (GI) at 1 ¼ miles on turf and Aug. 25 Travers at 1 ¼ miles on dirt.

The six-time winner was fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI) at Del Mar.

BREEDERS’ CUP PRE-ENTRY ANNOUNCEMENT ON WEDNESDAY – Pre-entered fields for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be announced via a live stream on the Breeders’ Cup website, Official Mobile App and Facebook page on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ET.

The 35^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 races (13 Grade Is) with purses and awards totaling more than $30 million, will be held for a record-tying ninth time at Churchill Downs on Friday, Nov. 2 and Saturday, Nov. 3. The live stream will be hosted by Caton Bredar and Churchill Downs’ Joe Kristufek.

Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entry is the first stage of a two-stage entry payment process for all owners intending to start a horse in a Breeders’ Cup World Championships race. The first payment is due by 12 p.m. ET on Monday. The second payment is due on Monday, Oct. 29 when entries are taken for all 14 Breeders’ Cup races, and post positions will be drawn later that day.

The Official Breeders’ Cup mobile app can be downloaded via the links below:

iTunes App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/breeders-cup-mobile/id1297424320?ls=1&mt=8

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yinzcam.venues.breederscup

Locally, the event will take place in The Parlay’s Media Briefing Room at Churchill Downs and media are welcome to attend. Breeders’ Cup Limited President and CEO Craig Fravel and Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery will be on hand to answer media questions following the Pre-Entry announcement.

ARRIVALS/BARN LIST – All Breeders’ Cup contenders must be on the grounds 72 hours prior to their race. Many of the contenders will begin arriving between 7-10 days from the event, according to Churchill Downs director of the stable area Steve Hargrave. Stay tuned for updates regarding arrivals following the pre-entry announcement on Wednesday.

Below are the current Breeders’ Cup contenders that are currently stabled at Churchill Downs:

Trainer	Horse	Race	Barn	Last Work
Tom Amoss	Lone Sailor	Classic/Dirt Mile	29	Oct. 17; 4F :49.60
Tom Amoss	Serengeti Empress	Juvenile Fillies	29	Oct. 18; 5F 1:00
Steve Asmussen	Chanteline	Turf Sprint	38	Oct. 3; 5F 1:02.20
Steve Asmussen	Mia Mischief	Filly and Mare Sprint	38	Oct. 20; 5F 1:00.80
Steve Asmussen	Midnight Bisou	Distaff	38	Oct. 16; 5F 1:01.20
Steve Asmussen	Switzerland	Sprint	38	Oct. 16; 5F 1:02.20
Steve Asmussen	Tight Ten	Juvenile	38	Oct. 14; 5F 1:01.40
Juan Avila	Trophy Chaser	Juvenile	34	Sept. 28; 5F :59.40
Bret Calhoun	Finley'sluckycharm	Filly and Mare Sprint	23	Oct. 18; 5F 1:00.20
Mark Casse	Wonder Gadot	Distaff	36	Oct. 19; 5F 1:00
Brad Cox	Arklow	Turf	22	Oct. 12; 4F :49.80
Brad Cox	Golden Mischief	Filly and Mare Sprint	22	Oct. 20; 4F :50.60
Brad Cox	Monomoy Girl	Distaff	22	Oct. 20; 5F 1:00.20
Brad Cox	Will Call	Turf Sprint	22	Oct. 20; 4F :49.80
Tim Glyshaw	Bucchero	Turf Sprint	3	Oct. 20; 4F :48.60
D. Wayne Lukas	Bravazo	Classic	44	Oct. 17; 5F 1:00
D. Wayne Lukas	Warrior's Club	Sprint	44	Oct. 16; 4F :48.60
Ron Moquett	Torrent	Filly and Mare Sprint	10	Oct. 1; 4F :47.80
Ron Moquett	Whitmore	Sprint/Dirt Mile	10	Oct. 19; 4F :47
Bill Mott	Channel Maker	Turf	19	Oct. 13; 4F :48.80
Bill Mott	Yoshida	Classic	19	Oct. 15; 5F 1:02.40
Dale Romans	Promises Fulfilled	Sprint/Dirt Mile	4	Oct. 20; 4F :48.60
Dale Romans	Seven Trumpets	Dirt Mile	4	Oct. 20; 5F 1:00.20
Dallas Stewart	Seeking the Soul	Classic	37	Oct. 19; 5F 1:01
Chad Summers	Mind Your Biscuits	Classic/Dirt Mile/Sprint	18	Oct. 19; 6F 1:15
Saeed bin Suroor	Thunder Snow	Classic	17	Oct. 19; one mile 1:42.20
Jonathan Thomas	Catholic Boy	Classic	41	Oct. 14; 4F 1:01.20
Ian Wilkes	Quarteto de Cordas (BRZ)	Turf	26	N/A