Can Egg Drop Make Soup Out Of The Grass Sunday?

2013 Matriarch Stakes (GI); Can Egg Drop Make Soup Out Of The Grass Sunday?

The 2013 Matriarch Stakes (GI) takes place Sunday, December 1, 2013 at Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. The race is ran on the turf for fillies and mares 3 years-old and up for a purse of $250,000 to be contested over the distance of 8 furlongs or one mile.

The Matriarch Stakes was Inaugurated in 1981 as a weight-for age race and since inception has been contested at various distances: 1 mile : 2003 to present, 1⅛ miles : 1981-1994, 1998-2002, 1¼ miles : 1995-1998. The Matriarch Stakes was run in two divisions in 1982. Like a lot of fall turf stakes, this race was on hiatus in 2005 due to problems with Hollywood Park’s grass course. The speed record is held by Ventura who ran it in 1:33.58 in 2009 at the current distance. Most wins are by Flawlessly with 3, most wins by a jockey were by Chris McCarron with 5 and most wins by a trainer are by Robert Frankel with 8.

I’ve been following Little Red Feather Racing’s baby Egg Drop all summer long. She will definitely be stepping it up in class here and will have to run her very best to win this race. Since they’ve switched her to turf in May of this year, this filly hasn’t finished off the board. She doesn’t just run on the grass, she floats.

Egg Drop, a $12,000 Ocala yearling buy, recorded her second (GII) victory in a row when she rallied by a head in the $150,000 Goldikova Stakes on the turf Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Mike Mitchell for Little Red Feather Racing, the pretty white/gray Florida bred daughter of Alphabet Soup*, was timed in a swift 1:33.52 on firm turf. Prior to that she won the Yellow Ribbon Handicap (GII) by a head on the Del Mar grass on September 25, also at one mile. The winning 4 year-old is now 3 for 4 on the grass. Her lone turf loss was in a runner-up finish in the Royal Heroine Mile (GII) at Betfair Hollywood Park prior to the Yellow Ribbon. On November 11 she fired a 3F bullet in 35.80 1/2 dirt training at Santa Anita. On November 25 she worked 5F in 1:00.00 flat 4/61 at Santa Anita. Egg Drop is 11:5-2-2 with lifetime earnings of $344,020. Egg drop breaks from post #1 with Martin Garcia in the irons.

Another quick gal to consider here is Discreet Marq, one of my other favorite grays. She’s coming across the country again looking for a win. Last out she won the Pebbles Stakes at Belmont going a mile on the turf on October 14, 2013. Prior she was 2nd at Belmont in the (GI) Garden City Stakes. She has a win on August 17th in the Del Mar Oaks (GI) so this Christophe Clement baby will be ready to roll. Discreet Marq gets R. Bejarano in the saddle and leaves from post #2.

I’d also keep an eye out for the Albertrani trained Better Lucky. She will be back here to defend her title winning this race last year. This Ghostzapper filly last out won the First Lady Stakes (GI) at Keeneland on October 5, 2013 so she’s super scary here. I wouldn’t leave her off an exacta or pick 3. Better Lucky gets my lucky #8 post with Leparoux to ride.

Egg Drop is my pick to win the 2013 Matriarch Stakes, even though I’m super bummed she drew the one hole. I hope Mr. Garcia can keep her out of trouble and hit the wire first. I missed her last race which was Sunday, November 3rd, during the 2013 Breeder’s Cup, as I left that morning and didn’t get to see her run. She’s got the speed and loves the track so I’m going to be rooting her on. I’m also looking to see Discreet Marq & Better Lucky hit the board. Good Luck to all of the fillies & mares and their connections Sunday.

Fun Fact: Alphabet Soup, Egg Drop’s Sire, is best known for setting a new track record for 1 1/4 miles at Woodbine when he won the 1996 Breeder’s Cup Classic defeating both the great Cigar and Preakness Stakes winner, Louis Quatorze.

2013 Matriarch Stakes (GI) Post Positions & Odds
1. Egg Drop 8/1 M.Garcia/MMitchell
2. Discreet Marq 6/1 R.Bejarano/C.Clement
3. Wishing Gate 8/1 J.Talamo/T.Proctor
4. My Gi Gi 20/1 C.Nakatani/P.Eurton
5. Tiz Flirtatious 5/2 J.Rosario/M.Jones
6. Dayatthespa 3/1 J.Castellano/C.Brown
7. Pianist 6/1 M. Smith/C.Brown
8. Better Lucky 9/2 J.Leparoux/T.Albertrani
9. Stormy Lucy 20/1 I.Enriquez/F.Lucarell