The Matriarch (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
DMR- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
December 4, 2022

With seven horses returning from the BC Fillies and Mares Turf last month, the field for the Matriarch was impressive. We knew that we were in for a great race as horses had a chance to further make a statement from a strong run in the BC, or to perhaps, get a little redemption. For Coconut Milk, the BC was not a pleasant experience, and it was a surprise given she had been running very well going into the race. Perhaps the turf course only being listed as “good” had something to do with it, but Coconut Milk struggled, and finished 12th, beaten by eight lengths. Due to that performance, and in spite of how well she had been running before the race, it was tough to pick Coconut Milk in this field. She would go off at odds of nearly 23/1, which seems fair, but for those that believed in her, they would get a nice payday. Coconut Milk delivered, showing the side of her that won the QE Challenge Cup right before the BC, and ensuring that we can throw out the BC race in the future. A fantastic effort, and trainer Wood Duck Stables should certainly be proud of her filly here. It is the first time that both trainer and jockey A Cedillo have won the race. Congratulations to them! The time of the victory was 1:33.30. Note that we did have a couple of late scratches in here, including the 2021 winner of the Matriarch, Ewa Beach. Ace Queen was the other, leaving us with a field of ten. Let’s take a look at how they fared!

(1/4 Mile- :22.92)- Maggie Greene makes an aggressive move out of the starting gate for The Sidley Stud, perhaps motivated by the two empty gates to her inside due to scratches, and quickly crosses over to the rail. The veteran mare will hold the lead by a length over Smokey Stover’s La Terrifiant. Approaching the clubhouse turn, that one back off a little and is two lengths back at that point, with company to her outside in the form of Nakamura Stables- trained Directors Chair. Positioned right behind them, we have our eventual winner, Coconut Milk, who holds the rail for Wood Duck Stables. Proud Eights (Mb Stables) runs right beside her. After them, we have Arindel’s Fangs Of The Storm, who is 4-5 lengths off the pace. Lassitude (TwinTowersRacing) and Summers Day (Maxmillion Farm) are next, then Versailles (D J C Racing Stables) and the trailing Hallowed Halls (Rock Creek).

(1/2 Mile- :45.95)- Maggie Greene leads the way down the backstretch, and she is showing no signs of letting up. Her lead continues to be two lengths over the rest of the field. La Terrifiant and Directors Chair are still running side by side for the second position, with neither of them being interested in making a move. The two right behind them, Coconut Milk and Proud Eights, had not made a push either, but each moved over to the outside to possibly prepare to make their move. Fangs Of The Storm was happy for that move, as that gave a clear path for her to advance along the rail. Further back, Lassitude, Summers Day and Versailles still ran three wide, and Hallowed Halls was behind them.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- At the front, it’s all about Maggie Greene, as she still holds a lead of about a length and a half. It gets interesting behind her, but not because of a move by La Terrifiant or Directors Chair. Those two continued to hold their position without an advance, and Coconut Milk was not content to ride it out behind them any longer. About midway into the turn, she would push out to the three wide position, and Proud Eights did not prohibit her from doing so. Once in this lane, Coconut Milk pushed forward assertively, looking like an entirely different horse than she was last month at KEE. This move would put her into the second spot, with a length and half to make up on Maggie Greene. Proud Eights was not able to keep up with her. Meanwhile, Fangs Of The Storm said, “thank you very much” for the room that was given to her along the rail and she was in a great position to strike in the stretch. The rest of the field were beaten horses at this point.

(Finish- 1:33.30)- Maggie Greene tried to hold on, but she had trouble on each side of her now. Coconut Milk was coming hard on the outside and Fangs Of The Storm was taking advantage of the room she had on the rail. Approaching the wire, there was nothing Maggie Greene could do about it, and this race would be decided between Coconut Milk and Fangs Of The Storm. Coconut Milk continued to run gamely all the way to the wire, knowing that Fangs Of The Storm was still in the mix, and would not allow that rival to get any closer to her than a half length behind as she scores the win. A good looking second for Fangs Of The Storm, followed by Maggie Greene settling for third. Give fourth to La Terrifiant, but one of the best female horses ever did not make a bid for the win. Proud EIghts is fifth, ahead of Directors Chair, Hallowed Halls, Lassitude, Versailles, and Summers Day.

About The Winner- Coconut Milk, trained by Wood Duck Stables, and ridden to victory by A Cedillo, is a three year old filly by Chai Bay and is out of the late Narly Kruz. She was bred in the great breeding state of Pennsylvania by Wood Duck Stables as a first quarter two year old, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 14 starts, her fourth stake win and third graded win. Her career earnings are now $853.250.

Track: Firm
Time: :22⁴  :45⁴  1:09¹  1:33¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 8 Paid 144.90
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 8 – 6 Paid 991.10

Scratched: Ace Queen(L), Ewa Beach(L)

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES