On November 7, Monomoy Girl left American racing as its unquestioned queen, capping a remarkable comeback from physical issues with her second victory in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1). On November 8, the great mare became the queen of the sales ring as well, topping Fasig-Tipton's "Night of the Stars" at US$9.5 million on a bid from Spendthrift Farm. Her price tied her with Songbird as the third highest-priced mare ever sold through this venue, though well below 2007 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour's US$14 million price tag at the 2008 sale and also below the US$10 million paid for 2011 American Horse of the Year Havre de Grace at the 2012 sale.
Will Monomoy Girl be worth such an enormous price? Time will tell, though the odds are not in her favor; even among the top-producing and top-performing mares that have fetched multimillion dollar prices at the "Night of the Stars," more are disappointments or at best modest successes than future Broodmares of the Year or breed-shaping matriarchs. Better Than Honour, for instance, already had her best producing days behind her when she topped the 2008 sale, and Havre de Grace has yet to produce anything but relatively ordinary winners in spite of visiting sires of the standing of Tapit and War Front.
What Monomoy Girl does have going for her besides her own unquestioned ability and certain access to the best sires available---her first mate may very well be Spendthrift's champion sire Into Mischief---is a connection to a good if not spectacular family. A half sister to 2020 Risen Star Stakes (USA-G2) winner Mr. Monomoy (by Palace Malice), she is by 2012 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1) winner Tapizar (by Tapit) out of the winning Henny Hughes mare Drumette, whose Dynaformer half brother Drum Major won the 2006 Knickerbocker Handicap (USA-G3).
Drumette, in turn, is out of multiple listed stakes winner Endless Parade, whose sire Williamstown (by Seattle Slew) won the 1993 Withers Stakes (USA-G2). A half sister to Mexican stakes winner Winning Limit (by Honour and Glory), Endless Parade is a daughter of the Saratoga Six mare Mnemosyne, whose half sister Afleet Floozie (by Afleet) won the listed San Houston Distaff Handicap at age 6. The next dam in the tail-female lineage is stakes-placed My Lady Love (by Smarten), a daughter of 1965 Adirondack Stakes winner Lady Dulcinea and, thus, a half sister to 1980 American champion 2-year-old filly Heavenly Cause (by Grey Dawn II), 1983 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G2) winner Quixotic Lady (by Quadratic), and stakes winner Jacques Who (by Grey Dawn II).
While not on a par with the greatest families of the American Turf, this is one that has produced its share of top-flight individuals even when not bred to the best sires of its time. Given the quality of stallions that Monomoy Girl is likely to visit, she will have every possible opportunity to come up with high-class runners and producers. Will she actually do so? Only time will tell.
Will Monomoy Girl be worth such an enormous price? Time will tell, though the odds are not in her favor; even among the top-producing and top-performing mares that have fetched multimillion dollar prices at the "Night of the Stars," more are disappointments or at best modest successes than future Broodmares of the Year or breed-shaping matriarchs. Better Than Honour, for instance, already had her best producing days behind her when she topped the 2008 sale, and Havre de Grace has yet to produce anything but relatively ordinary winners in spite of visiting sires of the standing of Tapit and War Front.
What Monomoy Girl does have going for her besides her own unquestioned ability and certain access to the best sires available---her first mate may very well be Spendthrift's champion sire Into Mischief---is a connection to a good if not spectacular family. A half sister to 2020 Risen Star Stakes (USA-G2) winner Mr. Monomoy (by Palace Malice), she is by 2012 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1) winner Tapizar (by Tapit) out of the winning Henny Hughes mare Drumette, whose Dynaformer half brother Drum Major won the 2006 Knickerbocker Handicap (USA-G3).
Drumette, in turn, is out of multiple listed stakes winner Endless Parade, whose sire Williamstown (by Seattle Slew) won the 1993 Withers Stakes (USA-G2). A half sister to Mexican stakes winner Winning Limit (by Honour and Glory), Endless Parade is a daughter of the Saratoga Six mare Mnemosyne, whose half sister Afleet Floozie (by Afleet) won the listed San Houston Distaff Handicap at age 6. The next dam in the tail-female lineage is stakes-placed My Lady Love (by Smarten), a daughter of 1965 Adirondack Stakes winner Lady Dulcinea and, thus, a half sister to 1980 American champion 2-year-old filly Heavenly Cause (by Grey Dawn II), 1983 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G2) winner Quixotic Lady (by Quadratic), and stakes winner Jacques Who (by Grey Dawn II).
While not on a par with the greatest families of the American Turf, this is one that has produced its share of top-flight individuals even when not bred to the best sires of its time. Given the quality of stallions that Monomoy Girl is likely to visit, she will have every possible opportunity to come up with high-class runners and producers. Will she actually do so? Only time will tell.
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