Matriarch Closes Out Del Mar Meeting

A field of 11 head to the gate in the $300,000 Matriarch (G1), the closing day feature at the Del Mar meeting. (Photo credit DMTC).

Sunday is closing day at Del Mar with the feature the $300,000 Matriarch (G1) for fillies and mares going one mile on the turf.

A field of 11 will line up led by 5-2 morning line favorite Got Stormy, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) against the boys in her last outing. She was beaten 1 ½ lengths by Uni as the ladies completed the exacta in the race.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call on the filly who has landed in the exacta in six of seven starts this year and beat the boys in the Fourstadave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga in August.

The Brad Cox trained Juliet Foxtrot is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. The filly has to break from the 11 post with Florent Geroux in the irons. She ran second behind Uni in the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland in her last outing.

The Matriarch is one of three stakes on the closing day card at Del Mar. The supporting stakes are the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) and the $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille (G3).

$200 Risk Free Bet

The $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) is the feature at Aqueduct today. The race was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, but high winds knocked forced a cancelation.

Let’s head out to Del Mar for Sunday’s featured race of the day:

Del Mar Race 7 The Matriarch G1 (Post time 3:00 PT)

#9 Daddy Is a Legend 8-1

#11 Juliet Foxtrot 3-1

#7 Got Stormy 5-2

#3 Significant Form 9-2

Daddy Is a Legend

The filly was a sharp winner against allowance foes last out in a prep which was her first start off a 4 1/2-month break for the Weaver barn. This filly was a game second in this race last year behind Uni. Two back in June at Belmont Park she was third in the Just a Game (G1) behind Rushing Fall and Beau Recall and three back was third in the Distaff Turf Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs, beaten by Got Stormy by a head for the place spot in that outing. She will be tighter second of the bench and appears likely to get overlooked on the tote in here. Her win over the Del Mar turf came in the ’17 Jimmy Durante at a mile. She reunites with her regular rider Franco and worth a look if she goes off near her 8-1 morning line. She has run well enough on ground less than firm and the turf was labeled “good” yesterday.

Juliet Foxtrot

The daughter of Dansili has landed in the exacta in all five trips since landing in the U.S. with the Cox barn. Last out she stalked the early pace in the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland, took over the lead perhaps a bit too soon and got run down late by Uni. That filly came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) over the boys in her next outing. She won her first three starts in the U.S. then was beaten a head by Vasilika in the John C. Mabee (G2). She draws a tough spot but comes in here in sharp form and always fires.

Got Stormy

The Mark Casse trainee could not hold off Uni late in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, having to settle for the runner up spot. She beat the boys in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga and was a good second in the Woodbine Mile (G1). Casse is looking for Eclipse votes with this race and said this gal probably would not be here if she had won the Mile. This is her eighth start of the year and her price is likely going to be south of her 5-2 morning line, so we will try and beat her for the top spot.