Two Grade 1 races — the Hollywood Derby and the Matriarch — highlight a
busy week of stakes action at Hollywood Park. The $250,000 Derby, scheduled for
1 1/4 miles on turf, and the $250,000 Matriarch, at one mile on turf, will both
be run next Sunday, the final day of the Turf Festival.
A field of nine to 11 is expected for the Matriarch, which is for fillies and
mares, three-year-olds and up.
Pamela Ziebarth’s Tiz Flirtatious is California’s best hope of holding off a
slew of eastern invaders. Trained by Marty Jones, Tiz Flirtatious won the Rodeo
Drive September 28 and was second to Better Lucky in the 2012 Matriarch. The
five-year-old Tizbud mare was a better-than-looked sixth in the Breeders Cup
Filly & Mare Turf November 2.
Joel Rosario will be in from New York to ride. Rosario has been atop Tiz
Flirtatious four times, winning three.
Godolphin Racing’s Better Lucky, who won last year’s Matriarch at 35-1, will
be back to defend her crown for trainer Tom Albertrani. The Ghostzapper filly
won the First Lady October 5 at Keeneland under jockey Julien Leparoux, who will
be aboard in the Matriarch, in her most recent start.
Chad Brown, who saw Frankel, Frankel et al’s Dayatthespa encounter a world of
trouble in last year’s race, is back for another try with the four-year-old City
Zip filly. She was beaten a head by Better Lucky in the First Lady last time
out. Javier Castellano flies in to ride. Brown will also enter multiple Grade 3
winner Pianist (Mike Smith), owned by Hidden Brook Farm and Dan Zucker. The More
Than Ready filly took down the Athenia October 12 at Belmont Park.
Other likely starters include Patricia Generazio’s Discreet Marq (trainer
Chistophe Clemente, no rider), winner of the Del Mar Oaks August 17; Glen Hill
Farm’s Wishing Gate (Tom Proctor, Joe Talamo), victorious in the Autumn Miss
October 26; Little Red Feather Racing’s Egg Drop (Mike Mitchell, Martin Garcia),
who won the Goldikova and Yellow Ribbon in her last two outings; Conner and
Jacobsen’s My Gi Gi (Peter Eurton, no rider), winner of the Honeymoon Handicap
over this course last year; and Erica Gaunt’s Stormy Lucy (Frank Lucarelli, no
rider).
On the fence for the Matriarch are Hoefflin, O’Farrell et al’s Halo Dolly
(Jerry Hollendorfer, no rider) and Cunningham Stable’s Tasty Treat (Mike Pender,
no rider).
In the Derby, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Admiral Kitten (Michael Maker,
Leparoux) and Gary Barber’s Jack Milton (Todd Pletcher, Rosario) are set to
renew their rivalry.
Admiral Kitten won the Secretariat Stakes August 17 at Arlington Park, with
Jack Milton 2 1/2 lengths behind in third. They hooked up again October 5 at
Belmont Park in the Jamaica, with Admiral Kitten holding off Jack Milton by a
half-length for the place. The Ramseys also will be represented by Amen Kitten
(Wesley Ward, no rider).
Britt and House’s Gabriel Charles (Jeff Mullins, Smith), has been a different
horse since being introduced to the turf. The Street Hero colt captured the Del
Mar Derby September 1 and was a fast-finishing second in the Twilight Derby
earlier this month.
Stronach Stables’ Rookie Sensation (John Shirreffs, Victor Espinoza) upset
Gabriel Charles in the Twilight Derby and has shown improvement in every start.
Probable entrants also include Team Valor International’s Infinite Magic
(Richard Metee, Talamo), winner of the American Derby July 13 at Arlington Park;
Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Seek Again (John Gosden, no rider), winner of a York
handicap in his last start; Oda Racing et al’s Dice Flavor (Paddy Gallagher, no
rider), hero of the La Jolla Handicap August 10 at Del Mar; and Gainesway Stable
et al’s Irish Surf (Dan Hendricks, no rider), who broke his maiden July 6 at
Hollywood Park.
Britt and House’s Dry Summer (Mullins, no rider), a double stakes winner,
remains a possibility.
The Turf Festival kicks off Friday with the 36th running of the Grade 2,
$250,000 Citation Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.
A field of eight was drawn Sunday morning, headed by Alain and Gerard
Wertheimer’s Silentio, third to reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the
Breeders’ Cup Mile November 2. The Silent Name colt is trained by Gary Mandella
and will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
A pair of Grade 3 races for two-year-olds — the $100,000 Generous and the
$100,000 Miesque, which is restricted to fillies — headline Saturday’s card.
Eclipse Thoroughbreds’ Craftsman, a new arrival to the Simon Callaghan
stable, tops the list of nominations for the Generous, which is open to all
juveniles. Craftsman won his last start in Ireland, the Group 3 Killavullan
Stakes. Callaghan indicated that Reddam Racing’s Ontology also is a possibility.
Considered definite for the Generous is Glen Hill Farm’s Global View
(Proctor, Talamo), an impressive maiden winner October 27.
Clenor (Doug O’Neill, Talamo), looks like the one to beat in the Miesque. The
Irish-bred’s three-race winning streak came to an end when she finished eighth
in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf November 1.
Other probables for the Miesque are Amarty Racing Stables’ Nesso (Vann
Belvoir, Martin Garcia), a close second to Clenor in the Surfer Girl Stakes
October 6; Glen Hill Farm’s Savings Account (Proctor, Corey Nakatani), a game
winner in her first turf route November 8; and Peak Racing et al’s Love in The
Desert (Callaghan, no rider). Reddam Racing’s South Sound, also trained by
O’Neill, is a possibility.
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