Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes is on tap for Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California this Sunday, December 1. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured in this one mile turf test as they chase the winner’s portion of the $250,000 purse.
A tremendous field of nine females will line up in the Matriarch – race 8 on Hollywood Park’s Sunday schedule. Post time is 4:05 PM. Let’s take a look into the credentials of all nine entries for this Grade 1 stakes.
Better Lucky – won last year’s Matriarch at 35-1 odds over Tiz Flirtatious to conclude her 2012 campaign and was an OK third in her first start of 2013 – in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes behind Centre Court at Keeneland April 13. Last time out she continued to look good – a nice win in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes ahead of Dayatthespa at Keeneland October 5 after a third behind Hungry Island in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel September 14 and a second to Stephanie’s Kitten in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes in June. She has placed in six straight starts – all of the Graded variety. If there is one thing we know about Better Lucky it is that she will be competitive each and every time out. She tries to become just the second repeat winner in the race’s history and looks very good to do so.
Dayatthespa – won five of her six starts in 2012, three of the graded stakes variety -her last 2012 action came November 25 and was the only time she didn’t taste victory- a disappointing fifth in the 2012 Matriarch. Dayatthespa has four starts in 2013 – a win in the minor You Go West Girl Stakes by four lengths at Belmont Park May 5, a good second to Laughing after setting the pace in the Grade 3 Eatontown Handicap at Monmouth Park June 29, a win in the minor Yaddo Stakes at Saratoga August 16 and a good second by a head behind Better Lucky last time out in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes at Keeneland October 5. That’s two wins and two seconds this year but zero graded stakes scores. But Dayatthespa is used to being at or near the top and has eight wins and three seconds in 13 career starts.
Pianist – Chad Brown trained filly has a couple straight wins last summer including the minor Given Stakes at Belmont Park in September and followed that with a pair of fourths. She started 2013 with a good score in an Allowance Optional Claiming on February 7 and has been good in graded stakes action since. Last time out was a terrific win in the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park October 12 after a good second in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga August 24, an OK third in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial at Parx July 2 and a win in the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap over Hard Not to Like at Pimlico in May. She has six wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 13 career starts and has placed in her last four graded stakes starts with two big wins. Pianist has won three times already and will be looking to punctuate a very good season this weekend.
Discreet Marq – Christophe Clemente pupil raced five straight minor stakes races ahead of the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes with OK results including a second a third and a win in the Lie Low Stakes November 22. She won the Sands Point in impressive fashion in her graded stakes debut in May and followed that with a win in the minor Eventail Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park July 4. She has continued her stellar form recently – a very respectable second in the Grade 1 Garden City Stakes September 14 followed her most impressive score to date – in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks August 17. Last time out was yet another win – in the minor Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park October 14. She has won four of her last five starts and has placed in eight of 12 career starts with six wins and could be a factor Sunday.
Tiz Flirtatious – Tiz Flirtatious has been terrific in her career with eight wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 13 career starts but is coming off her worst ever finish – a sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She had a great victory in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes September 28 after a win in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes August 11 and a second in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes behind multiple Grade 1 winner Marketing Mix after leading at on this track May 27. Before that second was a win in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes over Lady of Shamrock, a win in the minor Valentine Dancer Stakes January 23 and a pair of seconds in graded stakes races – the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel in December and the 2012 Matriarch Stakes in November. Tiz Flirtatious has been at or near the top in every career start except for last time out, has finished second in both her appearances on Hollywood Park turf and will be looking to rebound from her Breeders’ Cup experience Sunday.
Egg Drop – has 11 career starts with five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes and enters this weekend on a terrific two race win streak – last time out in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita November 3 and in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar in September. She has eight starts in 2013 with four wins (three of her last four starts since switching to turf) and a very nice second behind Schiaparelli in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine here July 6. Egg Drop has been sensational and will make her first appearance in a Grade 1 stakes Sunday.
Matriarch Stakes betting at Hollywood Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Wishing Gate – Thomas Proctor trained filly has four wins and three seconds in 10 career starts and has looked very good recently – a win last time out in the Grade 3 Autumn miss Stakes October 26 followed a second to Discreet Marq in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, a win in her stakes debut – the Grade 2 San Clemente at 5-1 odds at Del Mar July 21 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Arlington Park June 23. She has three wins and a second in her last four starts and is another entry on fire ahead of the Matriarch.
My Gi Gi – won her first graded stakes June 9 2012 – the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap over Lady of Shamrock and Stormy Lucy to follow an OK second in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes on May 5. She finished a ho-hum fifth in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes in her first start of this year and went on to three straight thirds – the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon, in the Grade 2 John C Mabee Stakes August 11 and in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Mile on this track July 6. Last time out was an ugly sixth in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita September 28. She definitely took a step back last time out and hopes to get back on the board this Sunday and win for the first time in eight starts.
Stormy Lucy – had won three straight races at the beginning of 2012 – two Allowance races and the Golden Poppy Stakes at Golden Gate on May 6. She went on to an ugly eleventh in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and was forced into a seven month layoff. She returned to action June 9 to a fourth in the minor Redondo Beach Stakes here and followed that with a fifth in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine also on this track in July. Her last two starts have been better – a win by four lengths last time out in the minor Miss America Stakes October 19 at Golden Gate followed a third in an Allowance September 7. She has yet to win a Grade 1 stakes but did have a second in last year’s Del Mar Oaks.
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