Never Retreat has never been better at the age of six. On the go since early
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Never Retreat’s form has been flattered since her stakes-record win in the
First Lady. Runner-up Together came back to take the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II
Challenge Cup, and Perfect Shirl, who was previously second to Never Retreat in
the Canadian, upset the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. That 1 3/8-mile affair
was never seriously entertained by Never Retreat’s connections, believing it was
too far for her. The Breeders’ Cup Mile was the right distance, but they were
not keen to venture outside of the distaff ranks, so the grassy mile of the
Matriarch shaped up as the ideal spot. Never Retreat is three-for-three with
Julien Leparoux in the saddle, and will try to cap their perfect partnership
here from post 8.
Team Valor will still have its colors flown courtesy of Summer Soiree.
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Tactics will be of interest, as her stablemate Unbridled Humor also has early
speed, and has drawn the rail with Ramon Dominguez. Unbridled Humor cannot be
dismissed as the third of the Motion trio. Highly regarded by her trainer, the
Live Oak Plantation homebred has won five of seven, including the Grade 3 Noble
Damsel two starts back. Her only losses have come on rain-affected ground, and
she was her own worst enemy when pulling too hard early in the Grade 1 Diana.
The Southern California home team is led by the improving All Star Heart, who
recovered from a frightening fall in a February allowance to win four of her
last five. The Ron McAnally filly comes off scores in the Swingtime and the
Grade 2 Las Palmas at Santa Anita, and will try to keep progressing in her first
Grade 1 attempt.
The sophomore Star Billing has hit the board in all three of her Hollywood
outings, landing the Grade 3 Senorita at this one-mile distance, finishing a
close second in the Grade 2 Honeymoon and missing by all of a head when third in
the Grade 1 American Oaks. A fast-closing second to Summer Soiree in the Del Mar
Oaks, she was uncharacteristically flat in the Queen Elizabeth II and wound up
sixth, but could rebound back on her home turf.
Up in Time was unplaced in both the Honeymoon and the Del Mar Oaks, but both
of those came over nine furlongs. The Simon Callaghan trainee has had a happier
time at a flat mile, taking both the Grade 2 San Clemente and the Grade 3 Harold
C. Ramser in her latest.
Ben Cecil sends out the well-bred Quiet Oasis, who just missed in the Grade 3
La Habra and recently returned from an eight-month layoff to dominate a Santa
Anita allowance. As with her fellow three-year-olds Summer Soiree, Star Billing
and Up in Time, she faces a class test versus her elders. Over the past 10
runnings of the Matriarch, only two sophomores have won — French Group 1
performer Price Tag (2006) and Dermot Weld’s Dress to Thrill (2002)
Rounding out the nine-strong field is Chilean Group 1 winner Madera Castana,
0-for-8 so far in the United States.
Like the Matriarch, the Miesque is a one-mile test with a strong East Coast
presence. Trainer Michael Matz dispatches Assateague, a front-running, 3
1/2-length maiden winner at Keeneland, while John Terranova II sends Belmont
maiden winner More Than Love. Coming from even further afield is English invader
Island Paradise, who has raced only on Polytrack and will ironically make her
turf debut here.
John Sadler has arguably the most compelling of the locals, Regal Betty and
Katie’s Ten. Regal Betty has been found wanting in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf and the
Sharp Cat, but the fact that Sadler even ran her in such races is notable.
Sadler’s other runner, Katie’s Ten, is bred to improve considerably on the
stretch-out and on turf. The Jim Cassidy-trained Your Special Day is two-for-two
on dirt in maiden claiming and starter allowance company, and takes a big class
hike while switching surfaces. Raesunbridledfaith was a distant third in a pair
of restricted stakes on dirt. Calder transplant Starship Flare was a
disappointment in her only turf attempt in a starter allowance on her old
circuit.