Dot Matrix Makes the Grade in John B. Connally Turf Cup
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Photo: Coady Photography
Dot Matrix wins the John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park
Ten Strike Racing's Dot Matrix was the 3-1 third choice behind Mike Maker's duo of Marzo and Bemma's Boy but held off his closing rivals to win his first graded stakes in the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) Jan. 26 at Sam Houston Race Park.
"He's just the consummate professional," said Tessa Bisha, an assistant for trainer Brad Cox. "This horse is very classy, and he takes his job very seriously."
The victory ended Maker's six-year win streak in the 1 1/2-mile event for older horses.
Florent Geroux was aboard Dot Matrix and never had the 7-year-old Freud gelding more than a length off the pace. Sleepy Eyes Todd took command at the break and led through fractions of :25.63, :52.45, 1:18.21, and 1:43.98. Sleepy Eyes Todd dropped back after the mile, at which point Dot Matrix was a head away from the lead, and Geroux found his mount a head in front at the quarter pole.
Dot Matrix ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:08.61 but had Bemma's Boy closing fast from ninth and Marzo making a move from fifth. The bay fought off his two late challengers to win by three-quarters of a length.
The final time was 2:33.46 on a turf course rated good.
"When I saw the half in :52 and change and he was up there pretty close to the front, I knew that was a great spot for him," Bisha said. "He tends to be pretty one-paced. He'll close sometimes, but today he was in the perfect spot."
Bemma's Boy was second by half a length over Marzo. Zumurudee was fourth.
Dot Matrix increased his earnings to $601,487 from a 10-4-5 record in 31 starts.
Bred in New York by Truxton Stables out of the Gulch mare Aunt Dot Dot, he is a half brother to stakes winner Aunt Ellipsis.
In Sunday's finale, Lothenbach Stables' Winning Envelope won her first stakes race with a strong rally in the $75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf Stakes for older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Flavien Prat was aboard the 4-year-old More Than Ready filly, who was 10th and had one horse beat through fractions of :23.89, :48.68, and 1:13.88. Prat guided his 2-1 mount three wide and was up into third in the stretch before blowing by her rivals to pull away by 3 1/4 lengths.
The final time was 1:45.15.
Winning Envelope wins the Jersey Lilly Turf Stakes at Sam Houston
Dream Passage held for second after dueling throughout for the lead. Orageuse and Curlin's Journey ran late to grab third and fourth, respectively.
Winning Envelope improved her record to 4-0-2 from 13 starts with earnings of $198,258. She was bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm out of the Badge of Silver mare Granby Girl.
Video: John B. Connally Turf Cup S. (G3T)