$1,000,000 Cotillion (G1) – Parx Racing

Race 9 (Saturday, September 22, 2018: 4:55 p.m/ET; 1:55 p.m./PT)

Mile and one-sixteenth on the main track (three-year-old fillies)

MONOMOY GIRL looks to extend her career record to nine wins from 10 career starts in her final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Let’s cut to the chase and try to answer the most important handicapping question: can any three-year-old filly entered in the Cotillion (G1) out finish this Brad Fox trainee to the wire?

#1 NORMA’S CHARM will be racing a route of ground for the first time in her 17-race career. She broke her maiden over this track in April and has failed to fire against winners in her six races since. Expert her to be a massive longshot.

#2 MONOMOY GIRL is a superstar. She has won four Grade I’s in a row, including the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), the Acorn (G1), the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Ashland (G1). She defeated #4 WONDER GADOT and #7 MIDNIGHT BISOU on two separate occasions already this year and the previously mentioned rivals are the second and third favorites in this spot. Clearly the one to beat. 

#3 JUMP RULER raced at Monmouth Park in an allowance optional claimer on July 7 and proceeded to run the best race of her life, blitzing the competition to win by an eye-popping 14 length margin. After a two-month freshening, she finds herself running against the best three-year-old fillies in the U.S. in her stakes debut. Yes, she’s improving, but speed figures indicate she’ll need to run even faster than last time to be competitive.

#4 WONDER GADOT won the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown against the boys, defeating 15 other horses in the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine before a dominating win in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie. In her most recent start, she ran tenth and last against colts and geldings in the Travers (G1). She gets back to facing fillies in this spot but she’ll have to deal with a monster who’s already beaten her twice (#2 MONOMOY GIRL). Plus it’s been a long campaign with no rest, so she’ll need to run better off that last poor effort.

#5 SEPERATIONOFPOWERS was a game winner of the Test (G1) going seven furlongs, defeating ultra-talented sprinter MIA MISCHIEF in the process. The only time this gal routed, she ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to multiple Grade 1 winner CALEDONIA ROAD. Even though she has done her best working sprinting, her pedigree (by Candy Ride out of an Empire Maker mare) suggests she should be fine going this nine panel distance and keep in mind that she is one-year older and stronger than she was when she ran fourth in the Breeders Cup. Worthy of a second look.

#6 CHOCOLATE MARTINI was clearly third best to #2 MONOMOY GIRL and #7 MIDNIGHT BISOU in her most recent afternoon appearance, the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga in late July. It’s also worth noting this filly beat #4 WONDER GADOT in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March.

#7 MIDNIGHT BISOU was a well beaten third in her most recent start, the Alabama (G1), going a mile-and-a-quarter at Saratoga. You could make a very strong argument that this filly isn’t at her best going ten furlongs and a cut back to this nine-furlong distance will only help her. On her resume, she sports a Grade I win in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and a duo of Grade I placings behind #2 MONOMOY GIRL earlier in the year. There is no doubt we are talking about a nice filly here, but we all know she has to find a way to make up a few lengths on #2 MONOMOY GIRL.

#8 DIXIE SERENADE won the Victory Ride (G3) at Belmont two starts ago and came back to run a close second (beaten by a head) in an ungraded stake over this track on August 4. She has never routed before and looks outclassed.

SELECTIONS

1. #2 MONOMOY GIRL – Looks too tough.
2. #5 SEPERATIONOFPOWERS – Grade I winner has Chad Brown and Jose Ortiz on her side.
3. #7 MIDNIGHT BISOU – Quality filly.

LONGSHOT VALUE PLAY-#4 WONDER GADOT – Best Canadian three-year-old is no slouch.

WAGERING STRATEGY

I’ll key my top pick over my other two picks in exactas and trifectas.

BANKROLL PLAY ($50 Budget)

$10 Exacta: #2 MONOMOY GIRL over #5 SEPERATIONOFPOWERS and #7 MIDNIGHT BISOU ($20).

$15 Trifecta: #2 MONOMOY GIRL over #5 SEPERATIONOFPOWERS and #7 MIDNIGHT BISOU ($30).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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