Monmouth Park may not be "The Graveyard of Favorites," but it certainly makes odds-on choices work hard for their money.
For the second day in a row a huge favorite was pushed to the limit before prevailing as Juddmonte's homebred champion mare Idiomatic battled back in the stretch to narrowly fend off a strong bid by Soul of an Angel and capture the $490,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares by a head July 20 at the Jersey Shore track.
"When (Soul of an Angel) got by her there was a little bit of concern, but she rallied," trainer Brad Cox said about the daughter of Curlin . "She took the pressure and she was in tight down the lane, but she responded well."
A day after Book'em Danno won by a nose at 1-5 odds in the Jersey Shore Stakes, Idiomatic was severely tested at 1-9 odds.
After Idiomatic ($2.20) set lethargic early fractions of :25.57 and :50.27, a middle move by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. on Soul of an Angel carried the daughter of Atreides from fourth in the field of five to a short lead late on the final turn.
From there, the two mares matched strides the rest of the way, with the 5-year-olds swapping the lead and 5-1 second choice Soul of an Angel leading by a head at the eighth pole. It wasn't until the final yards when Idiomatic and Florent Geroux forged to a slim lead and held sway.
"A little bit too close for my liking," Geroux said after the mile-and-a-sixteenth stakes. "But champions know how to win races."
Final time was 1:44.53.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Frosty O Toole (Frosted ) was 9 1/4 lengths back in third.
The Molly Pitcher marked a return to her winning ways for Idiomatic, who had a six-race winning streak—including the 2023 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1)—snapped in her last start, a loss by a head in the June 8 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Though it was her 11th win in 15 starts and raised her earnings to $3,476,840, the hard-fought victory on the heels of the loss in the Phipps raised some questions if the homebred was slipping a bit. But Cox said he didn't buy into that.
"The bottom line is that was a turf race. A :50 half-mile and it was a race from there to the wire," Cox said about the daughter of the First Defence mare Lockdown. "They were on even terms much of the way and she prevailed."
Saffie Joseph Jr., who trains Soul of an Angel, was happy with the verve his grade 2 winner showed while battling the 2023 champion older dirt female to a virtual standstill through the stretch.
"It was no disgrace to lose to a champion," Joseph said. "I'm proud of her effort."
Both mares are expected to target the Aug. 23 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Idiomatic is the first of three foals from Lockdown and the only one to race. She also has a 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly named Abditory and a 2-year-old Into Mischief filly.
