Matareya Delivers Breakthrough Performance in Beaumont
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Photo: Mathea Kelley
Matareya wins the Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland
One day after teaming up to land the Madison Stakes (G1), the powerful duo of Brad Cox and Flavien Prat struck again when Matareya powered home an 8 1/2-length winner of the $400,000 Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) April 10 at Keeneland.
The Godolphin homebred capitalized on her recent work form and a romp in an allowance race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with her first graded score Sunday. Stakes-placed as a 2-year-old in last fall's Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs, Matareya then finished a distant second to super filly Secret Oath in a December allowance contest at Oaklawn Park in her first try around two turns. Reverted to sprinting, the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile rebounded with a 5 1/4-length win in Louisiana Feb. 26 before stepping up to graded company in the Beaumont.
"I was expecting her to run big," said Cox. "She's been training well and she's enjoyed the cutback (in distance) in her last run. We had a lot of confidence in her and she had a really good work at Churchill last week (five-furlongs in 1.00.20 April 3 at Churchill Downs)."
Breaking alertly from the outside post in the field of 7, Prat angled Matareya inwards and flanked the frontrunning Lady Scarlet through opening splits of :22.87 and :46.61. The speedy filly relaxed into Prat's hands down the backside, and when the rider gave her the green light she exploded past Lady Scarlet at the top of the lane. Ears pricked, Matareya steamrolled her way to the wire, stopping the clock in 1:27.55 for the about seven-furlong distance on Keeneland's Beard course.
"I was a little concerned with the track," said Cox. "I know it's been playing super-fast and we know she has speed but it all worked out. (Prat) did a good job of placing her and not getting in a hurry with her. He just let things unfold as she wanted. And it worked out."
Joseph Allen's Radio Days , shortening up in trip after a fourth-place finish in the March 5 Busher Invitational Stakes, raced far back early before rallying for second down the stretch, 1 3/4-lengths ahead of 16-1 shot Reagan's Decision .
"She broke OK, and then I just took my time with her," said jockey Joel Rosario of Radio Days. "I took her inside for a little bit, and she handled everything well and kept running. She tried hard and came with a little bit of a run so I'm happy with that."
Cox indicated that Matareya would be kept to one turn contests for the time being, and that the May 6 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, or even a date with grade 1 company, could await the filly in the June 11 Acorn Stakes (G1), run over a one- turn mile at Belmont Park.
Since moving his tack from Santa Anita Park to Keeneland, Prat has enjoyed a stellar opening weekend, registering three stakes victories and seven overall wins April 8-10.
“To be honest, I was hoping to win a few races but it’s been great," said Prat. "Just really pleased with the weekend.”
Bred in Kentucky, Matareya is the second foal out of the grade 3-winning Bernardini mare Innovative Idea, who is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Lucullan and out of multiple graded stakes winner Golden Velvet. This is the family of grade 1 winner and sire Sky Mesa. Innovative Idea has an unraced 2-year-old filly and a yearling colt, both by Uncle Mo . She was bred back to Uncle Mo in 2021.