Matriarch

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday’s $300,000 Matriarch S. (G1) at Hollywood Park features a clash
between VENTURA (Chester House) and DIAMONDRELLA (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]),
one we had hoped to see in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) earlier this month.
Unfortunately, neither of the leading turf female milers on the continent wound
up in that spot and both suffered losses when trying other races during that
two-day fixture at Santa Anita. We’re probably in the minority, but we’ll side
with Diamondrella in this clash of titans.

As far as BRIS Late Pace ratings achieved on turf are concerned, Diamondrella
is certainly in the same ballpark as Ventura, registering a 103 and 109 in
winning the Just a Game S. (G1) and First Lady S. (G1) earlier this year. Though
both came over rain-softened ground, the five-year-old is more than capable on dry ground as well and
should offer a slightly better price than Ventura. If not for being misplaced in
spots like the Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G3) on Tapeta and the Breeders’
Cup Turf Sprint, Diamondrella could be capping off an incredible season in this
race.

Ventura, a gem of consistency, will be strongly favored based on her form
versus males this season. She defeated them in the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) two
back with a devastating turn of foot, and earlier in the year was nipped by
probable champion Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H.
(G1). The rest of her campaign occurred on synthetic, where she proved a cut
below Informed Decision (Monarchos). She’ll be hard to deny in this spot.

TUSCAN EVENING (Ire) (Oasis Dream [GB]) is three-for-three on the Hollywood
turf, but that streak probably ends here as we don’t think she has the necessary
class to defeat either or both of the top picks. She’s a terrific performer in
her own right with scores in the Las Palmas H. (G2) and Royal Heroine Mile (G2)
this term. She may try to set a soft pace and hope to hold off the late charges
of the two favorites, but we’ll bet against her achieving success in that
fashion.

RUTHERIENNE (Pulpit) has built up an envious record over the past several
seasons, but has often come up on the short end when wading into the waters of
top-level races. A mile might be her best distance (4-2-0-1), but we still feel
she is a cut below the top pair on ability and Tuscan Evening from the
perspective of fondness for the local sod.

APRIL PRIDE (GB) (Falbrav [Ire]) won the Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. (G3) last time,
and takes a huge step up in class as she takes on stakes-quality older rivals
for the first time. She just doesn’t match up well on paper. The same can be
said about PUTTANESCA (NZ) (Bertolini), who has trailed home in both U.S.
appearances, and TASTE’S SIS (Marquetry), who is still eligible for a
second-level allowance.