Valedictorian Returns to Monmouth for Matchmaker Stakes

Epic Racing's Valedictorian will have her first race at Monmouth Park this year, where she will take on seven other older fillies and mares in the $150,000 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3T) July 18 for local trainer Kelly Breen.

The sole New Jersey-bred in the field, Valedictorian has won four of five career starts on the Monmouth turf. Her last registered victory came in June of last year at the New Jersey track when she scored by 2 3/4 lengths in the Eatontown Stakes (G3T) over 1 1/16 miles on a track labeled good.

Valedictorian was entered in the 2019 renewal of the Matchmaker, but Breen said a combination of extenuating circumstances and harsh weather conditions caused him to scratch the now 6-year-old mare. 

"It was too hot out last year and we had an issue with the Lasix," said Breen. "And then they moved the post time back, but she was supposed to run." 

The daughter of Temple City  has already made four starts in 2020 but has yet to return to the winner's circle. She opened her season with a sixth-place finish in the Feb. 29 Honey Fox Stakes (G3T) and followed that with two third-place runs in the Sand Springs Stakes and Powder Break Stakes—all at Gulfstream Park. She will enter the Matchmaker off another sixth-place effort in the June 27 Just a Game (G1T) at Belmont Park. 

Breen said he's happy overall with how Valedictorian has been training ahead of Saturday's 1 1/8-mile stake. 

"She's doing well," said Breen. "It's nice to not have to ship with it being our home track. She's won over here before so we're feeling pretty good going in." 

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will have the call on Valedictorian from post 1. 

The race will award $50,000 in stallion shares to the top three finishers for WinStar stallions like Exaggerator , Take Charge Indy , and Yoshida .

Trainer Chad Brown will send out three runners in the Matchmaker, the oldest of which will be 5-year-old Tapit Today. Campaigned by William Lawrence and Bradley Thoroughbreds, the mare has not raced since Feb. 8 when she finished third in the Suwanee River Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream. 

Tapit Today most recently worked July 11, getting four furlongs in :49 on the main track at Churchill Downs. She will break from post 7 under Antonio Gallardo. 

Leaving from post 6 with Paco Lopez in the irons will be Tapit Today's stablemate Nay Lady Nay. Owned by First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm, the daughter of European stallion sensation No Nay Never has also only made one start in 2020, finishing off the board in the Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) at the Louisville track. 

Last of the Brown trainees is Paul Pompa Jr. and Gary Tochlin's Beautiful Lover, who has raced this season on both the West and East Coasts. A Florida-bred daughter of Arch, Beautiful Lover was runner-up in both the Jan. 18 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Stakes at Gulfstream and the March 7 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs. Shipped to California for her next start, the mare finished fourth by less than two lengths in the May 25 Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. 

Joe Bravo will have the call on Beautiful Lover from post 5.