Matriarch (G1)

Nine will enter the gate for the $500,000 Matriarch S. (G1) at

Hollywood Park Sunday. The one-mile turf event brings several top

female runners together for what should shape up to be an

excellent race.

OCEAN DRIVE (Belong to Me) comes off a close third-place

outing in the Violet H. (G3), an outing which broke her two-race

win streak, where she came out of the Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup

H. (G3) and Noble Damsel H. (G3) on the lead end of the pack. The

Todd Pletcher charge has earned three straight century topping

BRIS Speed figures and will be under the control of regular rider

John Velazquez, who has a record of 13-5-2-3 aboard the four-year-old

filly. Watch for her to rate just off the pace and to work for

the lead entering the stretch.

John C. Mabee H. (G1) winner MUSICAL CHIMES (In Excess [GB])

enters off a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)

after a dreadful trip in which she was blocked coming around the

second turn. Despite the poor outing, she earned the highest

Speed figure of her career, a 113, which is also the highest of

the field. The four-year-old miss came a neck away from winning

this race last year and has a very good chance of landing on the

top of the board here.

TICKER TAPE (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) is coming off a victory

in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1), a trip that came on the heels

of a win in the Pucker Up S. (G3) in early October. This will be

her sixth attempt at the one-mile distance, ground which she has

conquered twice and come in second three times. She will attempt

the hat trick here under jockey Victor Espinoza, who is making

his first start aboard the three-year-old filly.

INTERCONTINENTAL (GB) (Danehill) owns three victories since

moving to the States earlier this year. The Bobby Frankel pupil

has landed on the board four times at this distance and could

prove to be a factor here. She has shown the ability to come from

the back of the pack or to track just off the pace to land

herself in the winner's circle. If a speed duel develops, she

should be in a good striking position to challenge.

ISLAND FASHION (Petionville) will making only her third try on

the grass. Her previous two attempts have landed her off the

board, including a sixteenth-place outing in a Japanese Grade 1

trip in June. In the her other attempt, the gray filly posted a

close fourth in last year's edition of the Matriarch. The classy

filly merits consideration. DENEBOLA (Storm Cat) will be making

her U.S. debut Sunday. She has Group 1 and 3 wins to her credit

over good competition thus far and could look to be a contender

here. Despite a 50-day layoff, keep her in mind for the bottom of

the gimmicks.

ETOILE MONTANTE (Miswaki) comes off a win last out in the

Palomar Breeders' Cup H. (G2) but will face much tougher here. A

duel up front may materialize between the four-year-old chestnut

and Ocean Drive or HOH BUZZARD (Ire) (Alhaarth), a move that

could benefit the likes of pack closers like Intercontinental and

Ticker Tape. Hoh Buzzard won the Mrs. Revere S. (G2) in her

second start on American grass. Since then, however, she has

added a couple of poor finishes to her resume.

QUERO QUERO (Royal Academy) made a poor run in the Beverly D.

S. (G1), passing the wire 10 places back. She followed that up

with a second last out in an allowance on the Hollywood turf.

Despite this recent improvement, she will most likely be

outclassed here.