Mr. Monomoy

5) MR. MONOMOY (c, Palace Malice—Drummette, by Henny Hughes)
'TDN Rising Star' O-Madaket Stables, LLC, Michael Dubb, Doheny Racing Stable. B-FPF LLC & Highfield Ranch (KY). T-Brad Cox. Sales History: $60,000 wnl '17 KEENOV; €180,000 2yo '19 ARQMA.
Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-2-1-1, $327,162.
Last Start: 1st GII Risen Star S., Div. 1
Next Start: Uncommitted
Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 50.

'TDN Rising Star' Mr. Monomoy, a half-brother to same stable's 2018 champion filly Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), boomeranged into Derby relevance Saturday with a stylish, front-running score in the stronger (on paper) and faster (by final clocking and by final three-eighths) division of the split GII Risen Star S. This $60,000 KEENOV buy (resold for €180,000 at ARQMAY) asserted himself on the front end, then settled in hand under decent pressure. When a challenger launched the initial attack three furlongs out, Mr. Monomoy swatted him away with authority, then managed to kick on through the long Fair Grounds stretch while earnestly pursued by two legitimate favorites. Two months ago, after this colt lost his two-turn debut at 6-5 odds, trainer Brad Cox admitted “there is a little bit of a question mark on how far the horse wants to go.” Although his Belmont-winning sire, Palace Malice, seems to suggest staying power, Mr. Monomoy's dam-sire, Henny Hughes, made his mark strictly as a MGISW sprinter.

VIDEO PPS