MR. MONOMOY STEALS THE SHOW IN FIRST DIVISION OF THE RISEN STAR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Joe Kristufek & Grant LaGrange
Racing Analyst/Media Relations
MR. MONOMOY STEALS THE SHOW IN
FIRST DIVISION OF THE RISEN STAR
Modernist takes second division at a price; even-money
favorite Anneau d’Or finishes a disappointing ninth
Trainer Brad Cox has a Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and three Breeders’ Cup victories on his resume, and in 2019 he was a finalist for an Eclipse Award. Following Saturday’s victory in the first division of the Risen Star (G2) presented by Lamarque Ford-Lincoln with Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Doheny Racing’s Mr. Monomoy, it looks like a first ever Kentucky Derby (G1) presented by Woodford Reserve starter is in his immediate future.
Never before run at 1 1/8 miles, the Risen Star was split for the first time since the Kentucky Derby points system was implemented in 2013. Both divisions carried a $400,000 purse and offered 85 (50-20-10-5) Kentucky Derby points.
Leading his fellow three-year-olds through fractions of 24.22 and 48.57, Mr. Monomoy, a half-brother to the champion Monomoy Girl, disposed of Blackberry Wine at the top of the stretch, and then held off the late advances of both Lecomte (G3) winner Enforceable (20 Derby points) and runner-up Silver State (10 Derby points) to win by 2 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:50.43 for 1 1/8 miles, which was nearly a second faster than division two winner Modernist (1:51.28). Farmington Road earned five Derby points for finishing fourth.
“We had a really good start out of the gate,” jockey Florent Geroux said of the son of Palace Malice. “I was thinking about stalking, but when I saw no one was really going for the lead I took advantage and went for it. It worked really nicely for me. He’s still learning but he showed me a lot today, I’m really happy with him.”
Following a third place run in Lecomte over 1 1/16 miles last month, Cox openly questioned his colt’s ability to run successfully over a distance of ground, but Mr. Monomoy flipped that narrative on Saturday.
“He galloped out well the last time (in the Lecomte) which helped me to think he could get this distance,” Cox said. “I thought the draw today (post nine) gave him the opportunity to break and clear if he wanted, and obviously he was willing to do it. Florent put him in a great spot and he stepped up to the plate today and proved that he belongs.”
With 52 total points, Mr. Monomoy now tops the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard. The Risen Star improves his record to 5-2-1-1 with earnings of $327,162.
“It will probably be one more race before the (Kentucky) Derby,” Cox continued. “What race that will be, we don’t know yet. We just have to see how he comes out of it, see what other horses run in the next few weeks, and see how everything unfolds. We’re really happy with him.”
Off a step slow and wide on both turns, Enforceable closed well to be second. He now has 33 Derby points, which in most years would earn him a spot in the 20-horse starting gate.
“He ran a great race,” jockey Julien Leparoux said. “There wasn’t really any pace and the winner was on an easy lead. My horse responded when I asked and put in a really good run down the lane. I’m happy with how he ran and look forward to having him go longer in distance.”
In the second division of the Risen Star, Pam and Martin Wygod’s Modernist pressed early fractions of 24.38 and 48.57 from the inside, took over at the top of the stretch, and then held off the late advances of Major Fed (20 Derby points) to win by 1 ½ lengths in a final time of 1:51.28. The pacesetting NY Traffic (ten Derby points) held on well for third, and Mailman Money (five Derby points) was fourth. Following a troubled run into the first turn, the even-money favorite Anneau d’Or finished ninth.
“I took advantage of being drawn on the rail,” Alvarado said of the son of Uncle Mo. “He put me in a good spot early on and when I asked for more, he gave it to me. I’ve always been high on him. I think he’s still learning how to be a race horse but he has so much talent and I’m really proud of him.”
One year ago, trainer Bill Mott watched his Country House finish second behind War of Will in the Risen Star, and that recently retired colt would later become the adjudicated winner of the Kentucky Derby.
“Interestingly, I pulled out Country House’s past performances and this horse’s past performances and they were similar,” Mott said. “When they ran the first time, when they ran the second time, when the Risen Star was. I got to looking at it and I said, ‘boy, I could see a repeat here’.’”
Entering the race off a maiden win at Aqueduct last month in just his third start, Modernist now boasts a record of 4-2-0-1 with earnings of $288,800. The 50 Kentucky Derby points he earned places him second behind Mr. Monomoy on the current leaderboard.
“He won at a mile and an eighth in New York to break his maiden and has progressed really well in this early part of his three-year-old year,” Mott said. “He’s become more mature and has been more professional about everything. I couldn’t be more delighted with how he acted in the paddock and post parade. I told Junior (Alvarado, jockey) to take advantage of the one hole. The horse handled everything really well.”
“I think the (Fair Grounds) idea to make this race a 1 1/8 miles was s really good move,” Mott continued. “It gives us a chance to go nine furlongs this early in the season and it’s hard to find that. Obviously more than twenty horses wanted to run so it gave all of us a great opportunity.”
Off a local maiden win from just two career starts, the Greg Foley-trained Major Fed loomed boldly at the top of the stretch before settling for second.
“He ran a great race,” jockey Julien Leparoux said. “We had a great trip and I thought I was going to win for a second, but he got a little tired at the end. He still showed a ton of heart and I’m proud of him.”
Bet down to even money favoritism off runner-up performances in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), the California invader Anneau d’Or finished a head-scratching ninth.
“He was pretty good back at the barn (after the race) and he scoped clean” trainer Blaine Wright said about an hour after the race. “I’m not sure what to think at this point. We will just have to re-evaluate and go from there.”
-30-
About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global
Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 148th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 107 th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 28, 2019 through March 29, 2020. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.
Information set forth in this press release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”) provides certain “safe harbor” provisions for forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are made pursuant to the Act. The reader is cautioned that such forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time and/or management’s good faith belief with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statement was made. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking information to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the following: the effect of economic conditions on our consumers’ confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; public perceptions or lack of confidence in the integrity of our business; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; general risks related to real estate ownership, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations, including the impact of natural and other disasters on our operations and our ability to obtain insurance recoveries in respect of such losses; inability to identify and complete acquisition, expansion or divestiture projects, on time, on budget or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; legalization of online real money gaming and sports wagering in the United States, and our ability to capitalize on and predict such legalization; the number of people attending and wagering on live horse races; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; inadvertent infringement of the intellectual property of others; inability to protect our own intellectual property rights; security breaches and other security risks related to our technology, personal information, source code and other proprietary information, including failure to comply with regulations and other legal obligations relating to receiving, processing, storing and using personal information; payment- related risks, such as chargebacks for fraudulent credit card use; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; compliance with payment processing and payment transmission regulations; work stoppages and labor issues; difficulty in attracting a sufficient number of horses and trainers for full field horseraces; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; the inability of our totalisator company, United Tote, to maintain its processes accurately, keep its technology current or maintain its significant customers; weather conditions affecting our ability to conduct live racing; increased competition in the horseracing business; changes in the regulatory environment of our racing operations; declining popularity in horseracing; seasonal fluctuations in our horseracing business due to geographic concentration of our operations; increased competition in our casino business; changes in regulatory environment of our casino business; the cost and possibility for delay, cost overruns and other uncertainties associated with the develop.m.ent and expansion of casinos; concentration and evolution of slot machine manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; impact of further legislation prohibiting tobacco smoking; geographic concentration of our casino business; changes in regulatory environment for our advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; increase in competition in the advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; inability to retain current customers or attract new customers to our advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; uncertainty and changes in the legal landscape relating to our advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; and failure to comply with laws requiring us to block access to certain individuals could result in penalties or impairment in our ability to offer advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming.
