The Matriarch (Grade 1)- $300.000 Purse
DMR- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
December 4, 2016

Usually, it’s the BC that will define who wins an award like Horse of The Year late in the season.  Attraction made an emphatic case to receive the award when she won the BC Fillies and Mares turf last month at SA.  At the time, it was her sixth win of the year, coming in ten starts and those wins also featured triumphs in two other Grade 1’s, including the Diana at SAR.  However, was that enough, because there was another BC winner that day, Wicked Heat, who also did something tremendously special in winning both the KYO and the BC Distaff in the same season.  It would likely come down between these females, as the male side did not have that one dominant horse all year.  Several wondered in the game as to whether or not the fact that Attraction is a turf horse would come back to bite her.  The trainer, Mm Racing, is very passionate about turf racing in general and certainly made a strong case why Attraction would be deserving, even if he was not her trainer.   I may have been guilty of believing in that bias towards dirt in my feeling that Wicked Heat would be my first choice, and Attraction my second. Then, Mm Racing sent Attraction, here, to the Matriarch, and a chance to win yet another Grade 1. A win would mark seven in eleven starts, and four would be Grade 1’s. Now that, is impressive. Even more impressive, then winning the KYO and Distaff in the same season.  Attraction stepped up to the plate on Sunday at DMR and showed us all why she is a great one. And she should have showed anyone that may have been doubting her that she is the horse of the year.  I believe that the competition in this smaller field was good enough to convince me, although I am not the one voting.  In the end, it is likely a series of algorithms within the game code that will spit out a winning horse of the year.  Let us hope that the winner will be Attraction.

As for the race itself, the winning jockey was R Bejarano, who wins the race for the third time, and second in three years.  The other most recent winner was indeed Attraction back in 2014.  Bejarano had been her longtime regular rider until J J Castellano started getting a bunch of rides on her.  Bejarano returned to the saddle just in time, riding her in the BC Fillies and Mares Turf.  The trainer, Mm Racing, is now also a two time winner. Congratulations!  The race was run in a time of 1:33.13, the second quickest in the history of the stake.  Let’s take a deeper look at it!

1st- 2- Attraction (6/5)- Our eventual winner from Mm Racing solidified her case for Horse Of The Year and ran a strong race right out of the starting gate.   She broke cleanly, but did not want to go up on the lead and chase Christine or Iron Punch. R Bejarano rode her along in a sensible stalking position while rounding the opening turn and into the backstretch, only a length and a half off.  Remained there for most of the backstretch, but started to position herself for the move to the front just prior to entering the turn.  It did not take long for her to pull up beside Christine and she made the pass look very easy that perhaps the breeze from the pass threw Christine off her game.  The only looming challenger to her would be Captain Caveman, who had followed her along in the turn and passed Christine about as easily.  She still had a length and a half advantage on that rival, but Captain Caveman was in an full drive and was going to give it her best shot.  As the stretch run developed, these two pulled away from everyone else and were ready to settle it.  Attraction, however, would show her amazing heart and desire and as good as Captain Caveman’s run was, she could never get within a length.  It ends up being a very impressive score for this mare, and it was done in 1:33.13. Time will tell if it will get her Horse Of The Year, but she earned my vote!  Attraction is a five year old mare by Pure Steel and out of Lucky 4 U.   She was bred in California by Mb Stables as a third quarter two year old and was acquired by Mm Racing, unraced, in the September 2013 auction for just $49.000.  Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 4- Captain Caveman (5/1)- The runner up from Aer Stables started the race running towards the rear of the field, but never too far from the lead.  While rounding the opening turn she trailed by about three and a half lengths but only about two lengths behind Attraction.  Midway through the backstretch, F Prat made a wise move and kept Captain Caveman in the lane right behind Attraction as a confused Iron Punch started moving in and out.   Emphatically looked to follow Attraction at the same time the legendary mare was moving to the lead.  Took over second easily, and ran with an all out drive in the stretch, the type of drive that is going to win most races that you are involved with.  Unfortunately, her task today was to catch one of the all-time greats of the game, and she give it her best.  The three length cushion on third place Christine shows that effort.

3rd- 3- Christine (2/1)- Likely the biggest threat to Attraction coming into the race, the John Henry mare got off to a strong start and would emerge with the lead as the race moved into the first turn.  She would run a quarter in :23.77 and a half in :46.93, leading the field by a length in the backstretch.  Seemed to be fine at that point, but when Attraction moved up to challenge her and eventually take the lead at the top of the turn, it just seemed as though Christine lost some interest and had to catch her breath again. Struggled in the stretch and was quite a distant third.

4th- 5- Tennessee Queen (45/1)- Our longest shot on the board, from Kopites, got off to an average start, and would run in the middle of the field throughout the first half of the race.  Moved down about four to five wide as the field moved into the turn but was quickly left behind by Captain Caveman, a horse that she had been running alongside in the backstretch. In the stretch, she was not able to make any type of move forward.

5th- 6- Condottieris Fox (6/1)- Not surprisingly, the Hawaiian Shirt Guy entry was not interested in running with the leaders early, and trailed the field in the first half mile.  The gap to the leaders in the backstretch was four and a half.  Continued to trail while rounding the turn, and never had any type of stretch response.  Probably the most disappointing horse in this race.

6th- 1- Iron Punch (20/1)- Started well out of the gate for Joseph Racing, and sought to challenge Christine for the early lead before backing off while running around the first turn.  Showed notable indecision in the backstretch in regards to what lane she wanted to use. Kept within a length of Christine rounding the turn, but packed it in during the stretch run.

Track: Firm
Time: :23³  :46⁴  1:10   1:33

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 4 Paid 19.80
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 4 – 3 Paid 15.90

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES