First Foal, First Winner for Monomoy Girl

This column highlights the performances of 2-year-old maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Santa Anita Park

Provenance became the first winner produced from two-time champion Monomoy Girl with a handy score in a six-furlong maiden special weight Sept. 27 at Santa Anita Park. 

The bar couldn't be raised any higher for Provenance, a son of six-time leading sire Into Mischief  and the first foal out of one of the most brilliant race mares in the last decade. Provenance was bred by Spendthrift Farm, who purchased Monomoy Girl for a world record price of $9.5 million at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The purchase occurred just a day after the star mare landed her second victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), cementing her title as that year's champion older mare. 

Monomoy Girl would race twice more under Spendthrift's colors as a 6-year-old before retiring in 2021 with a sterling record of 14 wins in 17 starts and $4.7 million in earnings. Among her plethora of grade 1 trophies were scores in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff and Kentucky Oaks (G1). 

Bred to Spendthrift's best stallion, or rather, the country's best stallion, Provenance was born, silver spoon in hand. The colt appeared as a mirror image of Into Mischief, with his blood bay coat, white-striped face, and scopey frame. Spendthrift sent the promising juvenile out West to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert for his racing career, where Provenance quickly made a splash on the morning work tab. 

Despite a series of impressive five-furlong works, Provenance could do no better than third in his debut, a mile maiden special weight at Del Mar. Away slowly, Provenance raced just off the pace and rallied four-wide but was caught late by his stablemate Plutarch for runner-up honors.

Cut back to one turn on Goodwood Stakes (G1) day, Provenance, went off the short-priced favorite in a field that included fellow Baffert trainee and $750,000 yearling Rio Grande. Breaking sharply this time under jockey Juan Hernandez, the bay zipped to the front and steamrolled through brisk fractions en route to a 1 3/4-length victory. He stopped the clock in 1:10.40 for six furlongs on a fast main track.

Monomoy Girl currently has a yearling full sister to Provenance and was bred to Gun Runner  this past breeding season.